employee handbook - village podiatry centers...village podiatry centers advanced vascular resources...

78
And Associated Entities Employee Handbook Released: April 2012 Revised: July 2014 2014 EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

Upload: others

Post on 06-Jul-2020

10 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

And Associated Entities

Employee

Handbook

Released: April 2012

Revised: July 2014

2014 EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

Page 2: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

- 2 - | P a g e

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Extremity Healthcare, Inc., (EHI) its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, the “Company”).

We are pleased that you made the choice to join our dedicated group of individuals striving to deliver the

best in advanced and integrated medical care.

There are many factors that drive the success of the Company, but none more important than the talents

and professionalism of our staff. Within the work environment, we hope to provide you with the

atmosphere that will enable you to excel and perform at your best. You are encouraged to take an active

role in your own development within the Company by learning more about our various services and

divisions. There are many ways that you can contribute to our success from your role whether on the

support services center side or one of our treatment locations.

The Company is committed to its core values: CLASS.

C – Caring: We are Caring toward others from our patients to our team members. We also consider individual needs and

the entire Company when making decisions.

L – Learning: We are committed to Learning, from on-going training to continuous improvement, we want to grow and

get better.

A – Accountability: We believe in Accountability and take appropriate responsibility for our actions.

S – Stewardship: We value Stewardship and use our resources as efficiently as we can. We understand it is often more

effective to take the time to plan and get the best value, rather than just go with who we know or what appears to be the

easiest solution.

S – Serving: At the heart of our mission is Serving others. Think about how you would like a loved one treated and extend

like care to those around you.

We have been successful in the past because of the contributions of talented people like you. Our

leadership team is committed to expanding the opportunities for growth, individual fulfillment and

continued business success in the marketplace. We need your help in achieving these goals.

I look forward to working with you!

Sincerely,

Dr. David Helfman, CEO

Page 3: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

- 3 - | P a g e

COMPANY FACTS

Extremity Healthcare, Inc. (EHI), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, was created on January 1,

2011 by the founding shareholders of the Company. EHI serves as a holding and management

services company supporting multiple medical disciplines in the delivery of comprehensive

treatment and diagnostics for anatomical extremities. The organization’s primary goal is to

provide the most advanced, integrated medical care with the highest level of economic efficiency.

In EHI’s function as a holding company, it provides long-range strategic planning for multiple

medical disciplines while driving organic growth initiatives. As a management services company,

EHI provides a full suite of shared solutions. Services provided include scheduling and insurance

verifications, billing and collections, insurance carrier negotiation, compliance, tax, legal, human

resources, marketing and operation planning.

In providing clinical services, EHI has numerous owned and managed divisions that include

ambulatory surgery centers, extremity MRI centers, pathology labs, podiatry clinics, laser services,

and a vascular and compounding lab. We encourage you to find out more about EHI and our

rapidly expanding portfolio of services by visiting the following websites:

Extremity Healthcare Incorporated www.extremityhealthcare.com

Pathology Lab of Georgia www.pathlabgeorgia.com

Village Podiatry Centers www.villagepodiatrycenters.com

Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC www.avrvascular.com

American Pharmacy Solutions, LLC www.ecompoundingpharmacy.com

Page 4: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

- 4 - | P a g e

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 – Introduction

Equal Opportunity Employer………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8 Non-Discrimination against the Disabled………………………………………………………………………… 9 Commitment to Workplace Diversity………………………………………………………………………………. 9

Chapter 2 – Recruiting and Selection Employment Application………………………………………………………………………………………………… 11 Applicant/Employee Background and Security Checks…………………………………………………….. 11

Employee Referral Policy………………………………………………………………………………………………… 11 Hiring Relatives ……………………………………………………………………………..………………………………. 11 Proof of U.S. Citizenship and/or Right to Work/Immigration Compensation………............... 12

Employment Categories ………………………………………………………………………………….................. 12 Orientation Period …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 13 Transfers or Promotions………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 14 Performance Standards ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 14

Chapter 3 – Pay Information Pay Practices ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 17

Payroll Deductions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 17 Annual Salary Administration …………………………………………………………………………………………. 18 Wage Garnishments ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 19 Keeping our Records Current ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 19

Unemployment Compensation………………………………………………………………………..……………… 19 Chapter 4 – Benefits

Company Paid Holidays …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 21 Bereavement Leave ………………………………………………………….………………..…………………………… 21 Jury Duty ………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………. 21 Group Health Insurance ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 21

Retirement Accounts ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 22 Paid Days OFF (PDO) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 22 Business Hours ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 24 Lunch Periods and Breaks ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 24

Chapter 5 – Time, Attendance, and Leave Management Attendance ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 26 Reporting Absences ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 26 Timekeeping …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 27 Leave of Absence …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 28

Overtime …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 29 Workers Compensation …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 29

Chapter 6 – Office Practices Open Door Policy …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 31 Employee Suggestions …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 31 Training Records ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 31 Patient Service ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 31

Personal Development ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 32

Page 5: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

- 6 - | P a g e

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Performance Evaluations ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 32 Access to Personnel Files………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 33 No Solicitation/No Distribution of Literature …………………………………………………………………... 33 Vendor/Gift Policy ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 33 Personal Appearance ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 33 Inquiries Regarding employees …………………………………………………………………………………………. 34 Harassment ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 34 Visitors to our facilities ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 34 Outside Employment/Contracting …………………………………………………………………………………….. 35 Severe Weather …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 35 Securing Company Property ………………………………………………………………………......................... 36 Non-Smoking Work Environment ……………………………………………………………….…………………….. 36 Securing Personal Property ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 36 Telephone Use and Voice Mail ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 36 Workplace Monitoring ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 37 Confidential Information ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 37 Computer Policy ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 38 E-mail Usage Policy …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38 Care of Company Equipment & Supplies ……………………………………………………………………………. 38 Operating Vehicles in the Course of Conducting Work ………………………………………………………. .39 Workplace Violence Prevention Policy ………………………………………………………………………………. 39 Unacceptable Work Activities ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 40 Progressive Discipline ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..... 42 Privacy …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...... 44 Mileage Reimbursement…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 45 Travel Expense………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 47 Religious Accommodation………………………………………………………………………………………………... . 48 Company Property/Premises ………………………………………………………………………....................... 48

Termination of Employment …………………………………………………………………………..................... 48 Chapter 7 – Exhibits

Exhibit “A” – Harassment Awareness Policy…………………………………………………………………….. 51 Exhibit “B” – Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) …........................ 55 Exhibit “C” – Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)……………………………………………………………….. 57 Exhibit “D” – Break Time for Nursing Mothers Policy ………………………………………………………. 60 Exhibit “E” – Military Leave………………………………………………………………………….………………….. 61 Exhibit “F” – Drug-Free Workplace Policy …………………………………………………..………………….. 65 Exhibit “G” – Social Media Policy …………………………………………………….……………………………… 74 Exhibit “H” – Conflict of Interest……………………………………………………………………………………… 76 Receipt of Employee Handbook …………………………………………………………………………………….. 78

Page 6: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

- 6 - | P a g e

Purpose of this Handbook

This Employee Handbook (the “Handbook”) was designed to make you aware of the general

policies and procedures of the Company. While this Handbook contains general information

related to various policies, guidelines and benefits, it is not intended to be comprehensive or to

address all of the possible application of, or exceptions described herein. Instead, it is intended to

be supplemented by each employee’s common sense and professional training. Following the

policies described in this Handbook is considered a condition of continued employment, however,

nothing in this Handbook alters an employee’s at will status. Changes may occur in policies and

practices and we will make every effort to keep you informed of those changes as they occur.

Updated versions of this handbook are available through Human Resources and/or on our website.

This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

purpose only. Its provisions are not conditions of employment and may be

modified (in whole or in part), departed from, revoked or changed at any time

with or without notice by the Company. Nothing in this Handbook is intended

to create nor is it to be construed to constitute a contract of employment

between employee and the Company.

If you have any questions regarding this material, please see your supervisor, department head, or

a member of the Human Resources Department (hereinafter referred to as “HR’ or the “HR

Department”).

Thank you for taking the time to read and understand the provisions of this Handbook. You will

be required to execute the Acknowledgement Form found at the end of this Handbook indicating

that you have received this Handbook.

At Will Employment

Unless otherwise defined by applicable law, any employment relationship with the Company is of

an “at will” nature, which means that employment is for no definite term. You may resign at any

time, and the Company may terminate your employment at any time, with or without cause. This

“at will” employment relationship may not be changed or modified by any verbal statement, written

document, or by conduct unless expressly authorized by the CEO of Extremity Healthcare, Inc.,

specifically acknowledging such change in writing.

Page 7: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

7 | P a g e

Chapter 1

Introduction

Page 8: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

8 | P a g e

CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION

Equal Opportunity Employer

We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees without regard to race, color,

religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship,

disability or handicap, genetic information, military service or veteran status, or any other protected

category in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

In addition, the Company complies with all state and local laws, regulations and ordinances

governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the Company has facilities

and/or employees. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including, but not

limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence,

compensation, and training.

Company Efforts to Provide Equal-Employment Opportunities Include:

recruiting, employing, training, compensating and promoting individuals for all job

classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital

status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship, disability or handicap, genetic

information, military service or veteran status, or any other protected category;

basing employment decisions solely upon an individual’s qualifications for the position

being filled;

making promotion decisions based on an individual’s job performance, experience,

abilities, skills, and interests compared to the specific requirements of the position being

filled;

administering other personnel actions and programs such as compensation, benefits,

transfers, recruitment, discipline, terminations, Company-sponsored training, and social

and recreational programs in a non-discriminatory manner;

encouraging employees to participate in developmental programs through applicable

Company-sponsored professional development programs and workshops;

providing reasonable accommodations consistent with applicable laws to promote the full

employment of individuals with disabilities so that qualified individuals with a disability

or handicap can participate in the employment application process, as well as the

Company’s training and education courses and programs, and perform their essential job

functions;

Page 9: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

9 | P a g e

Equal Opportunity Employer Continued…

communicating to all supervisors that equal opportunity employment is as essential part of

their responsibilities;

ensuring that all personnel understand that offering equal opportunity for all is not only a

requirement of the law, but also a goal which the Company wholeheartedly embraces;

creating a discrimination-free environment in which all employees can work without fear

of intimidation or harassment because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin,

age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship, disability or handicap,

genetic information, military service, veteran status, or any other status protected by

applicable federal, state or local law; and

addressing and resolving complaints quickly and fairly.

Non-Discrimination against the Disabled Our Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”) policy, among other things, prohibits any form of

discrimination against persons with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

(“ADA”), as amended by the ADAAA, prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in

hiring, as well as in all terms and conditions of employment, and requires reasonable

accommodations as appropriate. We strive to work closely with disabled applicants and employees

to find accommodations that will enable them to work productively, provided that the requested

accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the Company. We encourage disabled applicants

and employees to tell us about any disability requiring accommodation so that we can work together

to find a way for them to work productively and safely.

Commitment to Workforce Diversity

We are committed to developing and cultivating a workforce that represents individuals from all

backgrounds, cultures and walks of life. We believe that a diverse workforce is a better workforce,

strengthening our Company by:

encouraging the exchange of diverse ideas, perspectives, and solutions;

maximizing the potential of all our employees, thereby increasing productivity; and

enhancing our ability to attract and provide excellent service to our patients.

The Company is also committed to:

examining business decisions, standards, and programs in light of its commitment to

diversity, and removing barriers to a diverse workforce;

training managers on our diversity policy and aspects of developing and cultivating a

diverse workforce; and

effectively recruiting, hiring, promoting, and developing a workforce of diverse qualified

individuals. Our goal is to develop a workforce that recognizes and values differences.

Page 10: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

10 | P a g e

Chapter 2

Recruiting and Selection

Page 11: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

11 | P a g e

CHAPTER 2 – RECRUITING AND SELECTION

Employment Applications

We rely upon the accuracy of information contained in the employment application, as well as the

accuracy of other data presented throughout the hiring process and employment. Any

misrepresentations, falsifications, or material omissions in any of this information or data may

result in the exclusion of the individual from further consideration for employment, or if the person

has been hired, termination of employment.

Applicant/Employee Background Checks

We conduct pre-employment background checks and pre-employment drug screens on all potential

new hires, and may also conduct background checks for existing employees. In compliance with

the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), we will obtain written authorization before requesting

information from a consumer reporting agency. Offers of employment are conditioned upon the

results of an acceptable background check and pre-employment drug screen.

Employee Referral Policy

We encourage existing employees to refer qualified candidates for employment. By hiring the best

candidate available for all openings, we will build an effective workplace that affords everyone a

better place to work. The quality of our staff directly impacts the quantity of patients we serve, the

efficiency of the work we produce, and ultimately the health and well-being of the Company.

Employees who refer a Non-Exempt employee will receive One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.00)

after the employees has worked for three (3) consecutive months. Employees who refer an

“Exempt” employee will receive Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) after the employee has worked

for three (3) consecutive months. The referring employee must be employed at the time of the

bonus and must be in good standing. The referred employee must list the referring employee on

the employment application to qualify.

Hiring Relatives

We are committed to maintaining a work environment free from favoritism and conflicts of interest,

whether actual or perceived. We permit the employment of qualified relatives of employees, as

long as such employment does not, in the opinion of the Company, create actual or perceived

conflicts of interest. Additionally, relatives of current Company employees may not be hired,

promoted or transferred into positions where:

they will be working directly for a relative;

Page 12: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

12 | P a g e

Hiring Relatives Continued…

they will be directly supervising a relative;

an inherent or perceived conflict of interest exists;

a relative will occupy a position in the same line of authority within the organization;

and/or

a relative will have the authority to affect, review and/or approve decisions regarding the

individual’s employment.

For purposes of this policy, “relative” is defined as spouse, domestic partner, child, parent sibling,

grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, first cousin, or corresponding in-law or “step” relation. This

policy may also apply to individuals who are residing together. Employees who marry or enter into

a domestic partnership arrangement while employed are treated in accordance with these

guidelines.

In addition, the Company recognizes that at times, you and your “significant other” may be assigned

to positions that create a co-worker or supervisor/subordinate relationship. The Company will, in

its discretion, exercise business judgment with respect to the placement of all employees in these

situations in order to avoid the creation of a conflict, or the appearance of a conflict of interest, and

avoid favoritism, or the appearance of favoritism. The Company will review any existing situations

that fall under this policy as of the date of this Handbook on a case-by-case basis, and take action

as the Company deems appropriate. You are expected to be proactive by reporting the existence

of any familial or personal relationship in the workplace to your supervisor, or Human Resources,

so that the Company can determine whether this relationship creates a business conflict of any kind.

Proof of U.S. Citizenship and/or Right to Work/Immigration Law Compliance

As an equal opportunity employer, it is the Company’s policy to employ only persons legally

entitled to work in the United States, without regard to citizenship, ethnic background or place of

national origin. To comply with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1996 (IRCA), every

new employee must complete and sign Federal Form I-9, or Employment Eligibility

Verification Form, within three (3) days of the date of employee’s hire. The Company does

participate in the E-Verify program as part of Federal compliance.

Employment Categories As an employee of the Company, you are classified based upon your job duties and responsibilities,

level of authority, and in compliance with applicable laws. You are classified as either exempt or

non-exempt, depending upon your role. In accordance with the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act

(“FLSA”), the Company has established two classifications of employment.

Page 13: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

13 | P a g e

Employment Categories Continued…

Exempt Employees: Generally includes executive, administrative, professional and outside

sales staff whose positions meet specific tests established by the FLSA.

Non-exempt Employees: Includes all employees who do not meet the exemption test of

the FLSA, or applicable state overtime laws, and are, consequently, eligible for overtime

pay for all hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours per week.

Within these classifications, there are three (3) employee categories:

Full-Time Regular: Employees who work a full-time schedule; the total number of hours

in full-time schedule may vary depending upon the work location and position. Full-Time

Regular employees are eligible for our fringe benefits package in accordance with their

position and length of employment.

Part-Time Regular: Employees who work less than thirty (30) hours per week and are

not eligible for fringe benefits.

Temporary: Employees hired to perform various short term projects or special programs

of a temporary nature, as well as those hired to work on an occasional or irregular basis.

Independent contractors or individuals engaged through a temporary or other agency are not

considered employees of the Company.

Note: To be considered Group benefits eligible (medical, dental coverage), an employee must

work a minimum of thirty (30) hours a week. Employees who are PRNs or considered “as-needed”

in surgical centers are excluded from these benefits.

Orientation Period At-will employment continues after the orientation period for the entire duration of employment.

The orientation period is intended to give new associates the opportunity to demonstrate their ability

to achieve a satisfactory level of performance, and to determine whether the new position meets

their expectations. The Company uses this period to evaluate associate capabilities, work habits,

and overall performance. The orientation period for all new hire employees is ninety (90) days

from date of hire. During this time either the associate or the Company may end the employment

relationship at will at any time during the orientation period, with or without cause, or advance

notice.

Page 14: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

14 | P a g e

Transfers or Promotions

Any employee who is interested in a promotional or transfer opportunity must be in their current

role for a minimum of four (4) months. The employee must have no attendance issues or current

disciplinary action within the last four (4) months. Associates who are promoted or transferred

within the Company must complete a secondary orientation period of the same length with each

reassignment to a new position. Any absence greater than five (5) business days will automatically

extend an orientation period by the length of the absence.

If the Company determines that the designated orientation period does not allow sufficient time to

thoroughly evaluate the associate's performance, the orientation period may be extended.

In cases of promotions or transfers within the Company, an associate who, in the sole judgment of

management, is not successful in the new position, can be removed from that position at any time

during the secondary orientation period. If this occurs, the associate may apply for his or her former

job, or apply to a comparable job for which the associate is qualified, depending on the availability

of such positions, and the Company's needs. Upon satisfactory completion of the initial orientation

period, associates enter the "regular" employment classification.

During the initial orientation period, new associates are eligible for those benefits that are required

by law, such as Social Security. After becoming regular associates, they may also be eligible for

other Company-provided benefits, subject to the terms and conditions of each benefits program.

Associates should read the Benefits Section of the Handbook for each specific benefits program

details and eligibility requirements. This material is also provided during the orientation period.

Benefits eligibility and employment status are not changed during the secondary orientation period

that results from a promotion or transfer within the Company.

Performance Standards Successful completion of associate orientation is dependent upon the following standards:

1. Quality of Work

Accuracy, neatness, timeliness, attention to detail, volume/quantity requirements, adherence

to duties and procedures of job description, and work instructions.

2. Work Habits

Attendance, punctuality, does associate stay busy, looks for things to do, able to work

independently with little or no supervision, and follows procedures.

Page 15: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

15 | P a g e

Performance Standards Continued…

3. Job Knowledge

Has the associate demonstrated the skill and ability to perform his/her job satisfactorily? Is

the associate interested in learning rules and policies of the Company? Is the associate able

to learn, adapt and efficiently use new technology?

4. Behavior/Relations with Others

Does associate cooperate and contribute to team effort, respond positively to suggestions,

instructions or criticism, keep supervisors informed of important details, and adapt well to

changing circumstances?

5. Overall Progress

Is associate learning and improving at a satisfactory rate? Has associate successfully

completed new associate orientation period?

Page 16: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

16 | P a g e

Chapter 3

Pay Information

Page 17: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

17 | P a g e

CHAPTER 3 – PAY INFORMATION

Pay Practices

Employees are paid semi-monthly – usually on the fifteenth (15th) and last day of every month

(unless changed due to a bank Holiday or other factor). The payroll week beginning and ending

dates are provided annually in a handout, and are also available on our payroll site. Effective

August 15, 2014, all hourly employees will be paid bi-weekly. Payroll dates will be posted on our

payroll site.

Auto-deposit funds are electronically deposited into designated account(s) specified by you.

You may select multiple accounts to accept funds. For example, $X can be allocated to your

savings account, $Y to your credit union, and the balance to your checking account. We strongly

encourage all employees to take advantage of this benefit, which can result in greater speed and

security, and is at no cost to you. Auto-deposit data is accessible through the payroll portal.

Company reserves the right to request all employees to accept direct deposit, or to receive

payroll on a Pay Card. See HR for more information.

Important: The Company is not responsible for funds misdirected due

to a bank error or incomplete auto-deposit information.

Live paychecks will be mailed to an employee’s home address of record. For your protection, your

check will not be given to anyone else, unless you have requested in writing for payroll to release

it to them. Please periodically check your address of record, as printed on your pay stub. In the

event that your home address should change, it is your responsibility to notify the Company of your

new address.

Important: Employees should notify the Company as soon as possible or within one week if

they notice an over or underpayment. Employee is responsible to refund any overpayments

within two (2) weeks of the request to Human Resources.

Errors will be corrected as soon as practicable, and ideally within the next pay cycle.

Payroll Deductions Payroll Deductions are made for a variety of reasons, including……

those required by law;

those which employees have requested; and

those made to correct payroll errors or make adjustments.

If there is a payroll error, in your favor or not, you should immediately bring it to the attention of

the payroll department. If you notice an overpayment, it will be the employee’s responsibility to

Page 18: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

18 | P a g e

Payroll Deductions Continued… notify the Company and pay back the overpayment via payroll deduction. If a mistake is made

which results in overpayment, the Company will notify you in advance as to the reason for any

subsequent adjustments to correct the overpayment. Employees are responsible to verify that

accurate hours have been paid including any overtime hours within one week of receiving their

pay. All nonexempt employees must report time worked away from the office, and any overtime

must be approved in advance, including but not limited to checking email or catching up on work

items at home. E-mails should only be checked outside of normal business hours if requested by

your manager or Physician in advance due to urgency or time-sensitive matters.

Federal, State, and in some cases, other income taxes are withheld based on information you

provide us, and in accordance with standard government tables. The amounts vary with your

earnings, marital status, and the number of dependents you claim. If you want to increase or

decrease the number of dependents you claim, you can do so by completing new withholding forms

within the payroll system.

The Company deducts Social Security & Medicare taxes as required by law. Every dollar you

pay into Social Security & Medicare is matched dollar for dollar by the Company. Social Security

provides benefits for employees and their families as specified by law in the event of retirement,

hospitalization over age sixty-five (65) (Medicare), total and permanent disability before age sixty-

five (65), and death. For details, contact your local social Security Office, or visit www.ssa.gov

for an office near you.

Employee requested deductions are made typically for benefits offered through our benefits

programs, and can include deductions for group insurance for you and your dependents,

participation in the 401(k) plan, as well as other plans and programs the Company has available

through payroll deduction.

Annual Salary Administration

Your starting salary is based on the requirements of the position for which you have been hired,

and our evaluation of your relevant qualifications. You salary will be subject to future adjustments

based on many factors, including, but not limited to: your overall work performance, changes in

your responsibilities and business conditions. Our salary administration policy is based on merit,

and increases are not granted solely because of length of service. Salaries are reviewed annually,

at the beginning of each calendar year. Employees with six (6) months of service at the time of

annual review may be eligible for increases and such increases will be prorated for the first year

based on the timing of their start date into the calendar year.

Page 19: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

19 | P a g e

Wage Garnishments Garnishments and other claims can be placed on an employee’s pay under certain Federal, State,

and Local laws. These require the Company to make deductions from your earnings, such as to

pay creditors who have been granted judgments against you. Employees are expected to keep the

payroll department informed when changes are made to garnishments or other claims against pay.

Please keep in mind that we cannot make changes to such deductions, unless authorized to do so

by court order.

Keeping Our Records Current To ensure that personnel files and related data are up-to-date at all times, it is your responsibility to

notify the Company of any changes to your name, telephone number, home address, marital status,

number of dependents, beneficiary designations, scholastic achievements, emergency contacts, and

so forth.

Certain family changes (Qualified Events) have an effect on your group insurance coverage.

Employees have thirty (30) days to make notification of:

marriage and/or stepchildren;

newborn and adopted children;

foster Children (advance approval from insurer may be required);

divorce and/or legal separation; and

covered child reaching twenty-sixth (26th) birthday.

Eligible dependents' ability to apply for certain insurance coverage will be delayed until the next

scheduled “open enrollment” period if timely information is not received for qualified events. Any

changes that could impact group benefits must be made in writing and given to HR. The

Company is not responsible for an enrollment error if timely written information is not received by

HR.

Employees are strongly encouraged to watch for a change in payroll deductions associated with the

requested change, new insurance cards etc… Make prompt notification if you don’t see the

expected change taking place.

Unemployment Compensation Federal and State Unemployment Compensation Insurance contributions are paid entirely by the

Company. This insurance provides certain income benefits if you lose your job for certain qualified

reasons governed by your State’s unemployment office.

Page 20: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

20 | P a g e

Chapter 4

Benefits

Page 21: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

21 | P a g e

CHAPTER 4- BENEFITS

Company Paid Holidays The Company observes eight (8) paid holidays for regular full time employees. The standard eight

(8) include: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day,

the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Actual observation dates may vary from the specific holiday. See our annual holiday schedule for

details.

Employees on leave or inactive status will not be compensated for holidays that fall within the leave

period. Active employees must work the day before, the day of (if applicable) and after a holiday

to receive holiday pay, or otherwise utilize PDO in order to be paid for the holiday.

Bereavement Leave Employees are entitled to up to three (3) paid days off following the death of an immediate family

member. For purposes hereof, immediate family members include: mother, father, current mother

in-law or father-in-law, spouse, sister, brother, children or grandparents. Members of an

employee’s step family and adoptive family are also considered the same as an employee’s

biological family for bereavement leave.

Jury Duty The Company supports community activities such as Jury Duty, and will compensate you at your

regular salary for any jury service up to one (1) week. Additional weeks will be reviewed on a

case-by-case basis. To qualify for jury duty leave, you must submit a copy of the summons to the

Company as soon as you receive it from the Court. Advance notice to the Company is mandatory,

as courts provide notice before an individual is required to report. In addition, you must submit

proof of service to the Company when the period of jury duty is completed.

If you finish with jury duty for the day, you may be required to work the remainder of the day. You

will not be terminated for serving on a jury, and the Company will do whatever it can to

accommodate you while you respond to legal summons.

Group Health Insurance The Company is pleased to offer employees working thirty (30) or more hours per week the option

of various group health plans (medical, dental, life and disability insurance coverage). Group

insurance plans typically are re-negotiated with the insurance carriers annually, and also have a

designated open-enrollment period for employees to make changes in plan selection and coverage.

Page 22: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

22 | P a g e

Group Health Insurance Continued… Employee paid insurance premiums for individual or dependent coverage are deducted on a pre-tax

basis. Employees are eligible for Short-Term disability, Dental and Health Insurance after ninety

(90) days of employment with the Company. Long-Term disability is effective after three (3)

consecutive months of Short-term disability. If an employee is out on consecutive leave for six (6)

months, his or her employment will end with the Company. All disability premiums are paid by

the Company.

Please note that if an employee is applying for short-term disability that employee will also be

expected to apply for FMLA. (See Exhibit “C” for more information on FMLA or contact the

Human Resources Department.) If an employee goes out on leave the employee is responsible for

the employee portion for medical and dental premiums.

Retirement Accounts

The Company is pleased to offer employees the option to participate in retirement savings accounts.

The qualifications to join our plan include being at least age twenty-one (21), and at least six (6)

months of employment. Employees can join the plan or make changes to plan contributions at the

beginning of any month. Changes must be received by Payroll by the tenth (10th) of the month.

We offer a safe harbor 401(k) plan and a Roth 401(k), with a variety of participant directed

investment options. The company offers a competitive employer match of one hundred percent

(100%) of the first (1st) three percent (3%) of pay that you defer into the plan, and fifty percent

(50%) of the next two percent (2%) that you contribute into the plan, on a per pay period basis.

Paid Days Off (PDO)

The Company provides PDO for the purpose of providing employees with the opportunity to take

time away from work, without loss of compensation. Employees accrue PDO on the following

accrual schedule, and will accrue the designated time based on years of service each pay period.

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2015

HOURLY EMPLOYEES - YEARS OF SERVICE ACCRUAL RATE DAYS

PRIOR TO 1 YEAR OF SERVICE - 2.46 hours per pay period for a total of up to 8 days per year. AFTER 1 YEAR OF SERVICE – 4.92 hours per pay period for a total of up to 16 days per year.

AFTER 5 YEARS OF SERVICE – 6.46 hours per pay period for a total of 21 days per year. AFTER 10 YEARS OF SERVICE – 8.00 hours per pay period for a total of 26 days per year.

SALARIED EMPLOYEES - YEARS OF SERVICE ACCRUAL RATE DAYS

PRIOR TO 1 YEAR OF SERVICE - 2.67 hours per pay period for a total of up to 8 days per year. AFTER 1 YEAR OF SERVICE – 5.34 hours per pay period for a total of up to 16 days per year.

AFTER 5 YEARS OF SERVICE – 7.00 hours per pay period for a total of 21 days per year. AFTER 10 YEARS OF SERVICE – 8.67 hours per pay period for a total of 26 days per year.

Page 23: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

23 | P a g e

Paid Days Off (PDO) Continued… PDO Guidelines: PDO may be taken for any reason with advance notice, and in limited cases, upon no notice. Employees are encouraged to reserve enough PDO days to cover unforeseen illnesses and other emergencies. Please note that you will be allowed to use PDO after your ninety (90) day

probationary period.

PDO will not accrue for an employee who is out on an unpaid leave of absence, disability or

worker’s comp. PDO accrual will resume once the employee returns to work.

Requesting PDO:

Employees should follow their department procedures when requesting time off. Approval to change the normal work day schedule must meet the needs of the department and be approved by

your supervisor in advance.

Using PDO:

PDO must be used before taking time in an unpaid status. In some circumstances and at the discretion of management, employees may go into a negative balance up to a maximum of 16 hours.

Vacation requests must be submitted within ninety (90) days for approval. Approval must

be obtained by your Supervisor prior to planning vacation (purchasing tickets, hotel

accommodations, etc.). We commit to honor your requests; however, business needs may

necessitate the denial of some requests. Vacation requests cannot exceed more than a

week at a time.

All PDO requests that are not vacation requests must be submitted two (2) weeks prior to

the date requested off from work and must be approved by your supervisor. (In some cases

this may not be possible and will be handled on a case by case basis, with your Supervisor

and Department Head).

Employees must accrue PDO time prior to using it.

Employees that have exhausted all of their PDO time may take up to two (2) unpaid

excused days off per calendar year, only after receiving approval from their supervisor.

All unexcused absences will be addressed with the attendance policy.

PDO Payout Process/Carryover:

An hourly (non-exempt) employee may request to be paid out up to forty (40) hours of

accrued PDO on their anniversary date.

The max carryover for any employee is forty (40) hours of accrued PDO.

If an employee leaves the Company and has a negative PDO balance, those funds will be

deducted from employee’s final check. PDO will not accrue for an employee who is out on an unpaid leave of absence, disability or

worker’s comp. PDO accrual will resume once the employee returns to work.

Page 24: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

24 | P a g e

Business Hours

The business hours at your work location may vary, but most locations require employees to work

a Monday through Friday schedule. Your specific hours will depend upon the work scheduled for

your department and specific position, times taken for lunch, and other factors. The Company

recognizes that you have demands outside of work and, when possible, your supervisor will try to

accommodate changes to your regular work schedule to meet these outside demands. To keep this

in perspective, please remember the following:

Any changes you wish to make from your regular work schedule must be approved

in advance by your direct supervisor. Not all requests for changes of hours or days off will be approved.

There may be times when supervisors need to make schedule changes to accommodate

patient needs or work demands.

Any issues arising out of requested time off or schedule changes will be decided by

your immediate supervisor and/or department head.

Schedules (especially for lunch or breaks) may vary even for people in the same work

group. No schedules will be developed where the lunch break is shorter than thirty (30)

minutes for hourly employees, unless specifically approved by HR.

Lunch Periods and Breaks

A lunch period of up to one (1) hour is provided to all full time employees. Lunch times may

vary by department to minimize interruptions to our patients, workflow, or other factors relative to

conducting business. Notwithstanding, non-exempt employees are required to take a minimum

unpaid meal/rest period of at least thirty minutes on each full day that they work. Lunch breaks

must be scheduled with your supervisor. Lunch is typically scheduled between the hours of eleven

(11:00) a.m. and one-thirty (1:30) p.m. In emergency situations, the Company may ask that you

work during your lunch period. In these instances, you will be given a lunch period later in the

day, and will be paid for that time. All hourly staff must clock in and out for lunch.

Page 25: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

25 | P a g e

Chapter 5

Time, Attendance and Leave

Management

Page 26: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

26 | P a g e

CHAPTER 5 - TIME, ATTENDANCE, AND LEAVE MANAGEMENT

Attendance Punctual and regular attendance is an essential responsibility of each employee at EHI/Village

Podiatry Centers. Any tardiness or absence causes problems for fellow employees and supervisors.

When an employee is absent, others must perform the work, which diminishes the smooth

functioning of the company.

Employees are expected to report to work as scheduled, on time and prepared to start work.

Employees also are expected to remain at work for their entire work schedule. Late arrival, early

departure, or other absences from scheduled hours are disruptive and must be avoided. The purpose

of this policy is to promote the efficient operation of the company and minimize unscheduled

absences.

I. Absent

An employee is deemed absent when he/she is unavailable for work as assigned/scheduled and such time off was not scheduled/approved in advance.

II. Tardy An employee is deemed to be tardy when he/she:

Fails to report for work at the assigned/scheduled work time. In these instances, managers

may replace the tardy employee for the full shift.

Leaves work prior to the end of assigned/scheduled work time without prior supervisory

approval.

Takes an extended meal or break period without approval.

Reporting Absences I. Departmental Notification Procedure

Employees are expected to follow departmental notification procedures if they will be late for work,

will not be at work, or are requesting planned time away from work. Employees must request in

advance to their supervisor any time off. Please refer to our PDO policy for specific time frames.

At the time of notification/call, the employee must notify their supervisor when an absence is due

to a documented/approved leave of absence (e.g. Military Leave, FMLA) in order to ensure

appropriate tracking of leave utilization and absenteeism.

An employee who fails to call in and report to work as scheduled for three (3) consecutively

scheduled work days will be viewed as having abandoned their position and employment will

be terminated. The supervisor should consult with Human Resources if this situation occurs.

Any non-consecutive No-Call/No Show will be subject to progressive discipline.

Page 27: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

27 | P a g e

Reporting Absences Continued…

II. Progressive Discipline Process

Supervisors should monitor their employees' attendance on a regular basis and address

unsatisfactory attendance in a timely and consistent manner. If supervisors notice a pattern of

unscheduled usage of PDO, they should discuss this concern with the employee.

Occurrences

For the purpose of attendance, an occurrence can be a single day or a collection of consecutive

days. For purposes of tardiness, an occurrence will be two instances of coming in late or leaving

early. The number of occurrences that are subject to the corrective action process is as follows:

4 occurrences = Verbal

6 occurrences

8 occurrences

= Written

= Final

10 occurrences = Termination (All terminations must be discussed with HR prior to termination)

The following is designed to provide guidelines when addressing the total number of occurrences

in a rolling twelve (12) month period, provided that the reason for an occurrence is not protected

under FMLA or ADA.

New Hire Orientation Period

An employee, within his/her Orientation period, who has two (2) occurrences should receive a

Written Warning; if the employee has greater than two (2) occurrences within the Orientation

period, employment may be terminated. Extension of the Orientation period will allow for the

maximum of two (2) additional occurrences within that extension.

Holidays If an employee calls out of work the day before, the day of, or the day after a holiday, the employee

will not receive holiday pay. The employee may also be subject to the Progressive discipline policy

in relations to attendance.

This policy is intended to be non-discriminatory and will be managed consistently without

the perception of discrimination.

Timekeeping It is essential that each employee keep an accurate record of the actual hours worked each day.

Please keep these tips in mind:

report your hours to the time record system daily, as you enter and leave work. This

includes time taken for lunch;

if you miss a punch, let your supervisor know so that a correction can be made;

review your own hours weekly for accuracy;

Page 28: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

28 | P a g e

Timekeeping Continued…

supervisors approve final timesheets;

your pay is computed based on what you submit, and what is approved on your weekly

time record;

promptly notify your supervisor if your time record must be changed late in the time

keeping cycle, or close to the payroll due date; and

make notes in the payroll system regarding absences, or for unusual time keeping.

Leave of Absence

Leaves of absence from work arise for a variety of reasons, and some fall under multiple leave

provisions. Please keep the following leave guidelines in mind when considering a leave of

absence:

Unpaid personal leave of absence – The leave is granted to protect your employment for

compelling personal and emergency reasons, other than for absences covered under other leave

plans. They are typically granted in two (2) week increments, and must be coordinated and

approved through HR.

The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – Laws regarding family medical leave vary from state

to state. FMLA provides job protection for full time employees to take as much as twelve (12)

weeks off annually, for a variety of covered reasons. The Federal FMLA guidelines are outlined

in Exhibit “C” at the back of this Handbook. More information can be found on the FMLA poster

at each work site, or on the employee self-serve portal on the payroll system.

Short and Long Term Disability Benefits – Typically short and long term disability begin after

an initial elimination period. The elimination period is the length of time that you must be totally

and/or partially disabled before you qualify for benefits, and varies by carrier. Prior to returning to

work, you must provide your supervisor and HR with a release from your treating physician. If

your release is for full duty, you may return on the first day released. If your return will require

limited duty, you must work out those details prior to returning to work.

Military Leave – Exhibit “E” at the back of this Handbook offers a detailed explanation of military

leaves.

If an employee goes out on leave the employee is responsible for the employee portion for medical

and dental premiums. (See Group Health Insurance Section, listed under “Benefits” for more

information.) The Human Resources Department will coordinate many of these leave provisions

with you, ideally before you go out on leave.

Page 29: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

29 | P a g e

Overtime

When our workload requires overtime, the Company will offer overtime opportunities to employees

working in the job classification where the overtime is required. If no one voluntarily elects to

work the overtime, the immediate supervisor will assign employees to work. In these cases, efforts

will be made to assign overtime fairly among those in the required job classifications. Notice of

the need for overtime will be given by the end of the regular workday for the following day, when

we are able to do so. Although we will attempt to give notice when we can, it is not always possible.

Overtime is paid at one and one-half (1-½) times your hourly rate, for hours you work in excess of

forty (40) hours per week. Working nine (9) hours in a regular eight (8) hour day does not

constitute overtime, until or unless the forty (40) hours maximum has been reached for the week.

Non-exempt/hourly employees may not work overtime without prior authorization from a

supervisor. If you fail to receive authorization for overtime hours, you will be subject to

disciplinary action.

Payment for overtime worked is normally received in the pay period following the period in which

the overtime was earned, provided that the necessary time reporting has been properly prepared,

authorized by the appropriate individuals, and forwarded for processing in a timely manner.

Paid Days Off (PDO), Holidays, Jury Duty, time off to Vote, Facility Closing, and Military or

other Leave hours will not be counted as time worked for overtime computation purposes.

Workers Compensation

A work-related illness or injury is typically covered by Worker’s Compensation Insurance. If you

are injured on the job, no matter how slightly, report the accident immediately (within twenty-four

(24) hours), to your supervisor and HR. If you require treatment during working hours as a result

of a work related injury or illness, you will be paid your regular pay for the time you are away from

work that day. Worker’s Compensation insurance will provide payments to attending physicians

for work related injury and illnesses.

If you are physically unable to work because of a job-related injury or illness, you may receive

compensation under our workers compensation insurance policy. All questions related to workers

compensation should be directed to HR.

At each work location, a panel of physicians is posted that treat our work related injuries or

illnesses.

Important: Supervisors complete a Supervisor’s First Report of Injury, that the

employee signs when a work related injury or illness occurs.

Page 30: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

30 | P a g e

Chapter 6

Office Practices

Page 31: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

31 | P a g e

CHAPTER 6- OFFICE PRACTICES

Open Door Policy

The Company considers open and honest communication to be a vital part of a positive work

environment. If you have a work-related problem, we encourage you to discuss it with your

immediate supervisor. If you find it difficult to properly describe or discuss the problem with your

direct supervisor, you may contact a department manager, or HR for assistance. Be assured that

you will be listened to, and efforts will be made to help find a workable solution. All of our

leadership team, including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and Chief Operating Officer

(COO), maintains an open door policy to encourage employees to bring issues to their attention.

Please make attempts to resolve outstanding issues with your direct supervisor, or seek help from

the next level of leadership or HR, prior to seeking input from the CEO, or COO.

Employee Suggestions

We welcome your ideas and suggestions, no matter how unimportant they may seem to you.

Sometimes the most unusual or even the simplest suggestions, are excellent cost-saving ideas.

Anything that will help to do the job better or more productively, improve working conditions,

provide better patient service, eliminate unnecessary expenses, or increase our earnings, will

receive thorough consideration. Please provide suggestions you might have to your supervisor or,

if you prefer, to the HR department.

Training Records

Employee competencies are periodically evaluated and training requirements are identified.

Managers decide how to address any identified gaps, including on-the-job training, assigning a

mentor, or asking an employee to take outside or internal coursework that would benefit them on

the job. Please forward attendance records for specialized training to HR for inclusion in your

personnel file.

Patient Service

The success of our medical practices and shared corporate services depends upon the quality of

the relationships between the Company, our employees, our patients, and our suppliers. Our

patient's impression of the Company, and their interest and willingness to do business with us, are

greatly formed by the people who serve them.

Page 32: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

32 | P a g e

Patient Service Continued…

Regardless of your position, you are a Company ambassador. The more goodwill you promote,

the more our patients will respect and appreciate you, the Company, and our medical services.

Listed below are several things that you can do to help provide patients a positive impression

of your work center:

deal with patients and vendors in a courteous and respectful manner;

handle business matters with confidence;

communicate pleasantly and respectfully with other employees at all times;

responsiveness – follow up on all inquiries promptly, provide businesslike replies to

requests, and perform all duties in a timely manner;

always greet a patient or visitor that is waiting, and never assume that someone else is

taking care of them; and

take great pride in your work, and enjoy doing your very best.

Personal Development

All employees have the personal responsibility to continually develop your personal skills and

abilities. We encourage your growth and development, and in some cases, will reimburse

employees for specific training or course attendance, as long as these have received approval in

advance from your supervisor. In our review process and periodically during the year, your

manager will discuss ways in which you could be more effective in the group, and ways that might

facilitate your career development within the Company.

Performance Evaluations

Each year in the spring, your direct supervisor will complete a written performance review.

Employees are encouraged to evaluate their own performance in preparation for an open, and

constructive discussion. Your supervisor may also evaluate your performance throughout the year

to ensure that you are at the performance level needed for your job.

Performance reviews are used to evaluate past performance levels, as they relate to the specific job

assignments you were assigned in the preceding period. Future goals and objectives are created

as part of the review process. Strengths and areas for improvement may be identified and discussed

during the review. You can help your supervisor by identifying needs that will help you work to

your fullest potential. This is a good time to discuss your interests and future goals. Your

supervisor is interested in helping you to progress and grow in order to achieve personal, as well

as work-related goals.

In addition to individual job performance reviews, the Company periodically conducts a review of

job descriptions/key job competencies, to ensure that we are fully aware of any changes in the

duties and responsibilities of each position.

Page 33: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

33 | P a g e

Access to Personnel Files

The Company maintains a personnel file on each associate. The personnel file includes such

information as the associate's job application, resume, records of training, documentation of

performance appraisals and salary increases, and other employment records. Personnel files are

the property of the Company, and access to the information they contain, is restricted. Generally,

only the members of management of the Company who have a legitimate reason to review

information in a file, are allowed to do so.

Associates who wish to review their own file should contact Human Resources. With reasonable

advance notice, associates may review their own personnel files in the Company's offices, and in

the presence of a Human Resources representative.

No Solicitation/No Distribution of Literature

In order to avoid interference with work activities of other employees, no employee is allowed to

solicit items, products or services, to other employees, during work time. Distribution of non-

company literature in working areas of the Company is prohibited at any time.

Non-employees are prohibited from distributing materials or soliciting employees on Company

property, at any time.

Vendor/Gift Policy

Company employees may not accept vendor gifts of more than Twenty-Five Dollars ($25.00) in

value, unless approved by Human Resources, or Chief Legal Officer (CLO). Unacceptable gifts

may include, but are not limited to, trips, golf outings, parties, or tickets to events. It is acceptable

for a vendor to provide a gift to the entire office i.e., basket of cookies, plaque etc. … All gift

giving should be coordinated with the approval of your supervisor or department manager. Please

also refer to the Conflict of Interest Policy.

Personal Appearance

A neat, tasteful appearance contributes to the positive impression you make to our patients,

vendors, visitors, and your co-workers. Remember that your conduct and dress represents the

Company to outsiders. During working hours or when representing the Company, you should be

attired and groomed in an appropriate and businesslike manner for the office you are working in.

This means no overexposure of skin, minimal showing of tattoos, and piercings should be kept to

a minimum. All items of clothing should be well maintained, fit properly, and be neat, clean,

unwrinkled, and free of holes and tears. Inappropriate attire for work includes tank tops, midriff

tops, shirts with potentially offensive words, terms, logos, pictures, cartoons, or slogans, halter

tops, sweatshirts, sweatpants, exercise pants, shorts, bib overalls, and t-shirts unless worn under

Page 34: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

34 | P a g e

Personal Appearance Continued…

another blouse, shirt, jacket, or dress. Conservative walking shoes, loafers, clogs, sneakers, boots,

flats, dress heels, and leather deck-type shoes are acceptable for work. Flashy athletic shoes,

overly bright colored shoes, thong sandals, flip-flops, and slippers are not acceptable. Hair should

always be clean and neatly styled.

For office settings, Monday through Thursdays are considered Business Casual Days. Fridays will

be considered Casual Days. On these days, jeans and other more casual clothing, although never

clothing potentially offensive to others, are allowed. If a manager believes your attire or

appearance is out of place, you may be asked to leave your workplace until you are properly attired

and groomed. Any attire must not be offensive in nature.

If your job requires you to wear a uniform, it is your responsibility to clean your uniform and

present yourself in a positive way. Other than Company-related information such as a name tag,

employees who work with patients may not wear pins, buttons, jewelry, or other adornments, on

their uniforms.

Employees are encouraged to consult with their supervisor whenever they have questions

regarding acceptable dress for their work area. Failure to abide by this policy may result in

progressive disciplinary action.

Inquiries Regarding Employees

All inquiries regarding employees should be referred to Human Resources.

Harassment

We are committed to creating a professional and productive work environment, where you are

treated with respect and dignity. The Company prohibits conduct of any kind that disrupts or

interferes with another person’s work performance and/or work environment, especially where

that conduct could constitute discrimination or harassment. Harassment and/or discrimination

against an individual or group on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation,

gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, citizenship, disability or handicap, genetic

information, military service, veteran status, or any other legally protected status, is prohibited at

the Company. Please see our detailed Harassment Awareness Policy at Exhibit “A” at the end of

this Handbook.

Visitors to our Facilities

For safety and security reasons, visitors are to be escorted by a Company employee at all times. If you encounter an unescorted visitor in your work location that you do not recognize, please approach the individual. Introduce yourself in a professional and friendly manner. If the individual is not an employee or a temporary worker with proper identification, please escort them

Page 35: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

35 | P a g e

Visitors to our Facilities Continued…

to the reception area in a helpful manner, so they can be met and accompanied. Consultants and

interns need to complete a Confidentiality Agreement.

You should not invite personal visitors to work areas of the Company. If personal visitors or

relatives do call, please receive them and limit the visit to the Reception Area, unless otherwise

approved by your supervisor. Children should be escorted at all times. All employees must protect

private information.

Outside Employment/Contracting

All full-time employees are expected to devote their full-time efforts to the Company. Employees

are discouraged from consulting in a related industry, or on an after-hours/weekend basis. Any

deviation from these policies should be discussed with your supervisor. Employees are prohibited

from using any Company equipment in the performance of any outside employment. The

Company will not be responsible for, or pay benefits for, injuries or illnesses resulting from

employment at any outside Company.

Severe Weather

In the event that our area experiences severe weather or another emergency, the decision may be

made to shut down your work location, until conditions improve. If your work location is open

when severe weather warnings or another emergency begins, management will decide when the

location will close for the day.

Whenever practical, the Company will be open and operating on a normal basis during severe

weather and other emergencies. However, we do not want anyone to take unnecessary risks in

traveling to and from work. Those who feel that their safety is at risk should stay home, come in

late, or leave the office early, after speaking to their supervisor in advance, and making sure

patients are properly assisted. The time taken off will count against your PDO time. If your office

or clinic is “officially” closed, you will be paid your regular wages for that day and up to two (2)

“weather days” per calendar year. After these two (2) weather days, the time off will be treated as

a vacation day, or you can choose for the day to be unpaid and not count towards your vacation

time. For work locations outside of the Atlanta area, contact your local office manager to see if

your facility is open for business.

Important: A weather hotline has been set up at 770-384-1559 for Georgia facilities. You may

periodically check this hotline to determine if your office is open and operating during adverse

weather.

Page 36: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

36 | P a g e

Securing Company Property

You should make an effort to ensure that our building and property are secure. This means

securing valuable Company equipment during work hours, and before you leave. If you borrow

equipment from someone else’s work area, you should leave them a signed note that you have

taken it, and when you expect to return it. If the item is to be held beyond normal work hours, it

is your responsibility to secure the item (lap tops, overhead projectors etc….), until it can be

returned.

Non-Smoking Work Environment

If you wish to smoke or use other tobacco products, you may do so outside the building, in the

designated smoking area. Smokers are expected to dispose of litter (including cigarette butts)

properly.

Securing Personal Property

You should use reasonable care at all times to safeguard your personal items. Cash should never

be sent through office mail. Pocketbooks, billfolds, jewelry, and other personal property, are not

to be left unattended in open or unsecured areas. If you suspect that something has been stolen,

please report it to your supervisor or HR. The Company does not assume liability for any loss or

damages you may sustain to personal property anywhere on Company grounds, including: clinics,

labs, surgery centers, and parking lots. Employees, visitors and guests are urged to take

precautions for the safety and security of personal items.

Telephone Use & Voice Mail

Operating instructions are available depending on the model of the phone you are assigned. If

you are provided with a Company voice mailbox, you should acquaint yourself with how to

operate the system, and leave a professional greeting and message when you are unavailable to

receive a call. Messages are to be checked in the morning, and again in the afternoon. Initial

responses are expected to be made within twenty-four (24) hours.

When you are away from the office for extended periods of time, please remember to add a

professional “away from the office” message, indicating that you are out of the office, when you

expect to return, and who at work should be contacted while you are away.

It is very important for all employees to use good telephone manners while answering calls.

Always identify yourself, handle the call professionally, and if you take a message, make sure that

it is relayed to the proper person in a timely manner. You may not use the Company’s phone for

frequent or lengthy personal calls. While the Company realizes there may be times an employee

must use their cell phone for personal reasons, the Company requires this be kept to an absolute

minimum, and be used during breaks, or in case of an emergency.

Page 37: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

37 | P a g e

Workplace Monitoring

Workplace monitoring may be conducted by the Company to ensure quality control, associate

safety, security, and patient satisfaction. Associates who regularly communicate with patients or

third parties may have their telephone conversations monitored, or recorded. Telephone

monitoring is used to identify and correct performance problems through targeted training.

Improved job performance enhances the patient’s image of the Company, as well as their

satisfaction with our service. E-mail communications may also be monitored to ensure compliance.

Computers furnished to associates are the property of the Company. As such, computer usage and

files may be monitored or accessed. Employees shall have no expectation of privacy in any

Company computer system, computer files, or other electronic communication devices.

The Company may conduct video surveillance of non-private workplace areas. Video monitoring

is used to identify safety concerns, maintain quality control, detect theft and misconduct, and

discourage or prevent acts of harassment and workplace violence.

Confidential Information

Current and prospective patients trust the Company to maintain their personal data in a

professional, and confidential manner. We are entrusted with not only information related to a

patient’s health, but also their private insurance, personal, and financial data. In addition to patient

data, an employee may also have access to other Company business information, such as patient

lists, marketing information, and accounting data. Confidential information includes, among other

things, any and all information relating to any patients or prospective patients of the Company,

and any and all nonpublic information in whatever form relating to the Company, and the operation

of its business. Patient Protected Health Information must be especially safeguarded under

HIPAA/HITECH privacy and security rules. Training on this will be provided upon hire.

If employees have a question about whether any information or data is confidential, they should

treat it as confidential information. Employees may also have access to the Company’s computer

based information network and the files, data and other confidential information available through

the network. Any and all information to which employees have access through the network will

be treated as confidential information.

Employee Responsibilities

Employees may not, for any purpose whatsoever, use or disclose confidential information to any

person, except to the extent required to carry out their duties. Upon the termination of employment

with the Company, employees must return any confidential information in their possession to the

Company, within seven (7) days, and delete any confidential information from his/her home

computer. Likewise, after termination of employment, employees may not, for any purpose

whatsoever, use or disclose confidential information.

Page 38: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

38 | P a g e

Computer Policy

Employees are prohibited from bringing in and loading computer hardware and software, onto

Company equipment. You are responsible for compliance with copyright laws for all personal

files. Files or software illegally obtained, or not in compliance with the copyright protections of

the maker, are not to be loaded onto Company equipment. Any data files loaded onto Company

equipment, become and will remain the property of the Company. Violations of this policy will

result in appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including, termination of employment.

E-mail Usage Policy

E-mail access is provided as an efficient way to conduct business in the work place. All employees

are required to adhere to our Internet and Computer E-mail Usage Policy. E-mails directed to

“all personnel” should be utilized for only important business related office communications. Ask

your supervisor first when in doubt about sending a message to a large group. Everyone should

carefully consider who to copy on an e-mail message. A good rule of thumb would be to copy

only those individuals who are on a “need to know” basis, with respect to the information contained

in the message. E-mails must be checked in the morning, and again in the afternoon. Initial

responses are to be made within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of message.

It is an expectation that all e-mail communication is written in a respectful tone. If an e-mail

exchange becomes heated or discourteous, it is a good idea to stop e-mailing and pick up the phone,

or arrange a meeting to conduct the business at hand. Employees may be reprimanded for

inappropriate e-mail content. When you are away from the office for extended periods, please

remember to place an “out of office” message on your Company e-mail indicating that you are

out, and when you expect to return.

All nonexempt employees must report time worked away from the office, and any overtime

must be approved in advance, including but not limited to checking e-mail or catching up on work

items at home. E-mails should only be checked outside of normal business hours if requested by

your manager or Physician in advance due to urgency or time-sensitive matters.

Care of Company Equipment & Supplies

The Company has made a significant investment in providing each work area with the equipment

and supplies necessary for you to conduct your work. Please use equipment and supplies wisely.

Company stationery/letterhead is never to be used to conduct personal business. It is your

responsibility to properly care for all of our equipment. Notify your supervisor if you find

equipment not in proper working condition.

Do not start or operate equipment that you think is unsafe. Do not modify any equipment

safeguards that are in place. You should read and understand applicable manuals and warning

labels of any equipment you are not familiar with, prior to operating it.

Page 39: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

39 | P a g e

Operating Vehicles in the Course of Conducting Work

Employees are expected to drive responsibly and obey all driving laws when operating a motor

vehicle on Company business. This includes...

wearing proper seat belt restraints;

refrain from distracted driving (eating, reading, texting); and

having a valid driver’s license (notify your supervisor if your license is revoked).

If you receive a work related cell phone call while driving, you should safely pull over to take

the call, or allow voice mail to pick up, and then return the call as soon as practical when you have

parked the car. However, if you feel comfortable, you may utilize a hands-free device to answer

a call. There is no business call “too important” that you should risk injury to yourself or others.

The Company assumes no liability for use of cell phone or other equipment while driving. Cellular

telephone use while driving, along with other driver distractions, such as operating the radio,

reading, taking notes, putting on make-up, shaving and smoking, have caused numerous avoidable

accidents.

The Company will not reimburse employees for the cost of traffic citations. All vehicle accidents,

which occur while driving on Company business, must be reported immediately by the employee

to the Company.

This policy will be interpreted and applied in accordance with all applicable law, including

regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Workplace Violence Prevention Policy

The Company expressly prohibits threatening, intimidating, or bullying behavior, and any acts or

threats of violence, which involve any current or former employee, patient, vendor, or other third

party, on or about its facilities, or elsewhere at any time, either on or off duty. Acts or threats of

violence include but are not limited to:

conduct against persons or property that is sufficiently severe, offensive, or threatening, as

to give an individual reasonable cause to believe that he/she, or others are at risk of injury;

or

conduct that creates a hostile, abusive, or intimidating work environment.

The Company prohibits the possession of firearms, and/or other dangerous or deadly weapons,

while on Company property, or engaged in Company business. Weapons include knives,

explosives, and any other object designed to cause bodily harm, as defined by applicable federal,

state, and local laws. This prohibition includes keeping or transporting a firearm or weapon in a

vehicle in a parking area provided by the Company, except as provided by law.

Page 40: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

40 | P a g e

Workplace Violence Prevention Policy Continued…

The Company’s prohibition against threats and acts of violence as described above applies to all

persons, including but not limited to, Company personnel, contract and temporary workers,

employees of outsourced services, clients, patients, and family members/domestic partners. The

Company will take immediate and appropriate action to protect its employees, and ensure a safe

and secure workplace. This may include disciplinary action consistent with applicable law against

any employee who violates this policy, up to and including termination, of employment.

If you are aware of a violation of this policy, you must report it to your immediate supervisor,

senior management, or member of the HR Department. In emergency situations, local law

enforcement or the police should also be notified immediately. If you see anyone acting in a

suspicious manner, you should contact your supervisor, or the HR Department immediately.

You must notify the HR Department of protective or restraining orders which may impact the

workplace, so that assistance can be offered, and appropriate security measures taken. In addition,

you are required to report any arrests or convictions for any criminal offense to the HR Department.

The Company will evaluate such information consistent with applicable law.

The Company will undertake a prompt investigation of any violation of this policy, maintaining

confidentiality to the greatest extent possible. The Company expressly prohibits any form of

retaliatory action against individuals who make reports in good faith under this policy.

Unacceptable Work Activities

Each employee is expected to act in a mature and responsible manner, at all times.

However, to avoid any possible confusion, some of the more obvious unacceptable activities are

noted below. If you have questions concerning any work or safety rules, or any of the

unacceptable activities listed, see your supervisor, or contact a representative of HR for an

explanation.

Occurrences of any of the following violations may result in disciplinary actions, up to and

including, termination of employment. This is not intended to be a complete listing of conduct

that may result in disciplinary action. The Company reserves the right to discipline or terminate

an employee for any other conduct that it deems inappropriate.

1. Falsification of Company records, including employment applications, timesheets, etc.;

2. insubordination or failing to carry out reasonable requests from supervisors;

3. leaving work without permission from your direct supervisor, or failing to remain at your

assigned work area until the end of your scheduled shift;

4. carelessly or intentionally destroying Company property; 5. inappropriately sharing confidential or proprietary information with outsiders, or

unauthorized fellow employees;

6. failure to maintain a proper work appearance and demeanor;

Page 41: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

41 | P a g e

Unacceptable Work Activities Continued…

7. unsatisfactory or careless work, failure to meet quality standards as explained to you by

your immediate supervisor, mistakes due to carelessness, or failure to request necessary

instructions prior to undertaking the assignment;

8. smoking outside of designated smoking areas;

9. fighting or horseplay on the job, or while on Company business;

10. possession or use of illegal drugs, improper use of prescribed medications, or use of

intoxicants, while on Company property, or Company business;

11. gambling or other illegal activity on Company property;

12. possession of firearms, or other dangerous or deadly weapons, while on Company

property, or engaged in Company business – weapons include knives, explosives, and

any other object designed to cause bodily harm;

13. interference with the work of a fellow employee, willfully restricting work output,

compromising quality, or encouraging others to do so;

14. intimidating or attempting to coerce an individual to commit wrongful acts as defined by

applicable law or administrative rule, or to violate Company policy;

15. following or stalking another person, or making a threat with the intent of placing

another individual in reasonable fear for his/her safety, or that of family members;

16. conduct or remarks that could cause another person to reasonably believe that he/she is

under threat of harm;

17. intimidating, menacing, or frightening behavior, either verbal or physical, toward other

individuals;

18. making or sending harassing or threatening telephone calls, voice mail messages, e-mail

messages, threatening letters, or other forms of written or electronic communication;

19. using abusive, inflammatory, or threatening language, while on Company property;

20. failure to work safely, or interference with another employee, thereby compromising

their safety;

21. sleeping on the job, or neglecting your work; 22. having been found guilty of engaging in illegal conduct, on or off Company property;

23. theft or attempting to remove property of the Company, its patients, or another employee

of the Company;

24. unauthorized access of a computer or program that you have not been given authority to

use, or unapproved use of someone else’s pass code;

25. misuse of Company computer resources, including sending inappropriate content via

email, or having inappropriate content on your work computer;

26. failure to comply with safety rules, or to timely report an accident/injury occurring on a

Company facility, or other work location;

27. solicitation of goods, products, or services to employees during working time, or

distribution of literature or other material in work areas, at any time;

28. violation of the Company’s equal employment opportunity policy, including its policy

against harassment; and

29. excessive absenteeism, or tardiness.

Page 42: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

42 | P a g e

Progressive Discipline

The purpose of this policy is to state the Company’s position on administering equitable and

consistent discipline for unsatisfactory conduct in the workplace. The best disciplinary measure

is the one that does not have to be enforced, and comes from good leadership and fair supervision

at all levels.

The Company’s own best interest lies in ensuring fair treatment of all associates, and in making

certain that disciplinary actions are prompt, uniform, and impartial. The purpose of any

disciplinary action is to correct the problem, prevent recurrence, and prepare the associate for

satisfactory service in the future.

Although employment with the Company is based on mutual consent, and both the associate and

the Company have the right to terminate employment at will, with or without cause, or advance

notice, the Company may use progressive discipline at its discretion.

In general, the four-step procedure outlined below will be followed. There may be particular

situations, however, in which the seriousness of the offense justifies the omission of one or more

of the steps in the procedure. Likewise, there may be times when the Company may decide to

repeat a disciplinary step.

To insure that Company business is conducted properly and efficiently, you must conform to

certain standards of attendance, conduct, work performance, and other work rules and regulations.

When a problem in these areas does arise, your manager will coach and counsel you so that you

can mutually develop an effective solution. If, however, you fail to respond to coaching or

counseling, or an incident occurs requiring formal discipline, the following procedures are in place.

Step One: Documented Verbal Warning

Your manager will meet with you to discuss the problem, making sure that you understand

the nature of the violation, and the expected remedy. The purpose of this conversation and

document is to remind you of exactly what the rule or performance expectation is, and also

remind you that it is your responsibility to meet that expectation.

You will be informed that the Verbal Warning is the first step of the discipline procedure.

Your manager will fully document the warning, which will remain in effect for twelve (12)

consecutive months. Documentation of the incident will be placed in your personnel file.

Step Two: Written Warning

If your performance does not improve immediately, or if you are again in violation of

Company practices, rules or standards of conduct, your manager, after reviewing the

situation with the next line up manager and Human Resources, will discuss the problem

with you, emphasizing the seriousness of the problem and the need for you to immediately

remedy the problem.

Page 43: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

43 | P a g e

Progressive Discipline Continued…

Following the conversation, your manager will write a memo to you summarizing the

discussion. The original memo will go to you for signature, and a copy will be placed in

your personnel file.

Step Three: Final Warning

If your performance does not improve immediately following a written warning, or if you

are again in violation of Company practices, rules or standards of conduct, you will be

placed on a Final Warning. This is the last step in the disciplinary process before

termination.

Step Four: Termination

If an employee has reached the level of a Final Warning within a twelve (12) month time

frame, then the next step to immediately follow is termination.

Administrative Leave

In some situations it may be warranted to place an employee out on Administrative leave. This

will need to be administered if you commit any of the actions listed below, or any other action not

specified but similarly serious. You will be suspended, pending the investigation of the situation.

Following the investigation, you may be terminated without any previous disciplinary action.

1. Theft.

2. Falsification of Company records.

3. Failure to follow safety practices.

4. Conflict of interest.

5. Threat of, or the act of doing bodily harm.

6. Willful or negligent destruction of property.

7. Use and/or possession of intoxicants, drugs or narcotics.

8. Neglect of duty.

9. Refusal to perform assigned work or to follow a direct order. 10. Creating an unsafe work environment.

The Company recognizes that there are certain types of conduct that are serious enough to justify

either a suspension, or, in extreme situations, termination of employment, without going through

the usual progressive discipline steps.

While it is impossible to list every type of behavior that may be deemed a serious offense, the

policy includes examples of violations that may result in immediate suspension or, termination of

employment.

By using progressive discipline, we hope that all associate problems can be corrected at an early

stage, benefiting both the associate, and the Company.

Page 44: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

44 | P a g e

Privacy

Personal Privacy

Except as the law may otherwise provide, you may not have any expectation of privacy while

working on the Company’s premises, engaged in Company business off premises, or using any

materials, equipment, space, or systems provided by, or owned by the Company.

Additionally, the Company may monitor your work or work product as well, as all means of

communication, internal or external, including telephonic, voicemail, intra-Company paper mail,

and mail processing through the Company’s facilities and electronic systems, including the

Internet, E-mail, and tele-transmissions.

Without prior written authorization of the CEO or COO of the Company, you may not openly or

secretly tape, or otherwise surreptitiously record, or videotape any conversation, communication,

activity, or event.

This prohibition applies to:

all conversations on property, or involving Company business;

other conversations with employees of the Company;

conversations with Company patients or clients; or

conversations with any other individual with whom the Company is doing business, or

intending to do business, e.g., vendors, suppliers, consultants, and attorneys.

This policy also applies to conversations and communications with any other third parties,

including outside legal counsel, auditors, and regulatory officials.

“Taping and Recording” under this policy includes any conversation or communication, whether

in person, over the telephone, or via any other communication device or equipment. All methods

used to tape or record are included (e.g., tape recorder, video recorder, mechanical recording or

wiretapping equipment), regardless of where the conversation or communication takes place (i.e.,

whether on or off the Company’s premises).

Occasionally, the Company tapes, records, videotapes, or otherwise monitors conversations or

other communications between some of its employees, and/or between employees and

nonemployees. This is done for legitimate business purposes, such as training and protecting the

integrity of certain business transactions. Generally, you will be notified when such taping or

recording occurs. Under certain circumstances, however, notice may not be given.

Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including, termination of your

employment. If your conduct is illegal, you may also be subject to prosecution under federal, state,

or local laws.

Page 45: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

45 | P a g e

Mileage Reimbursement

It is the policy of the Company to reimburse staff for incremental miles incurred in connection

with approved travel on behalf of the Company outside of the normal daily commute. If a

circumstance arises that is not specifically covered in this policy, the most conservative course of

action should be adopted, and you should contact your Direct Supervisor to discuss the situation.

AUTHORIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITY

All travelers are required to have both a valid driver’s license, and personal

automobile insurance, before driving on Company business, and/or seeking

reimbursement for mileage expenses. Travel for staff must be authorized by his or

her Direct Supervisor. Upon completion of the trip, and based on the Report

Submission Policy and Procedure, the traveler must submit a Mileage

Reimbursement Form (“Form”) to obtain reimbursement of expenses. Travel

reimbursement should always be documented on the assigned Form.

It is unacceptable to approve your own Form. Your signature is required to confirm

that the information documented is correct. Once the Form is submitted to your

Direct Supervisor, he/she will confirm the information, sign off on it, and submit

the Form to the Finance Department (“Finance”).

If the Direct Supervisor is unavailable, the up-line manager can authorize the report.

Finance Department will pay completed reports, to the best of the department’s

ability, within thirty (30) days.

Reimbursement for usage of a personal automobile is based on Company mileage rates. While

the Company is not legally obligated to use IRS rates, it historically has reimbursed at this rate.

As of 01/14/2014, the rate is Fifty-Six Cents ($.56) per mile. This rate is subject to

change at any time, and will not exceed the IRS mileage rate.

All mileage Forms:

Must include your complete home mailing address. This will be the same

address listed in your employee file. If not, it will be returned for

corrections.

Must be for the current month based on your submission date. There will

be no exceptions for not submitting your mileage report within a timely

manner. If you do not, you will need to file the expense with your yearly

taxes, as expense reports that are sixty (60) days or older are considered

untimely and will not be paid. Expense reports should be submitted at

least monthly.

All submissions must be forwarded as an attachment, via email only, to

your Direct Supervisor. You will need to sign the form electronically

before emailing it, or it will be returned.

Page 46: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

46 | P a g e

Mileage Reimbursement Continued…

Expense reports are processed on non-payroll weeks, and Accounts

Payable will reimburse the expense within thirty (30) days of receiving the

expense report.

HOW TO CALCULATE MILES FOR REIMBURSEMENT

To properly calculate your reimbursable incremental miles, take the total amount

of miles driven that date, less your average roundtrip miles to perform your typical

office commute. For example, if you live twenty (20) miles away from your office

and drove fifty (50) miles that day, you would take fifty (50) miles, less forty (40)

miles (roundtrip), and would be reimbursed for the incremental miles (ten (10)

miles in this example) incurred.

The total incremental miles driven will need to be multiplied by the approved

mileage reimbursement rate of Fifty-Six Cents ($.56).

The Form also has options for the physician/location you cover. This must be

selected for each line item entered. If you do not choose a physician/location, the

Form will be returned to you for corrections, and this may cause a delay in receiving

your reimbursement.

The Form has a cell for your daily commute average. You can update this number

if you move, or if your job location changes. You can take an average if you work

at more than one location in your role, and so long as your Direct Supervisor

approves of the calculation.

Always confirm your totals are correct prior to submission. If they are not, and the Form is submitted, it will be returned to you for corrections, and this may cause a

delay in receiving your reimbursement. If you have a special circumstance, or are a floating staff member, please speak to

your Direct Supervisor for consideration. The intention is to reimburse for miles

beyond what you would typically drive in a day.

Page 47: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

47 | P a g e

Travel Expenses

The Company will reimburse employees for all necessary and reasonable travel expenses related

to the normal conduct of business. This policy provides general guidelines for reimbursement of

business related travel, meals, and entertainment expenses. Employees should be cost conscious

while traveling and incurring expenses on the Company’s behalf. If you have any questions

regarding this policy, consult with your manager.

All travel and expenses must be pre-approved by your manager. Unauthorized travel and

expenses may not be reimbursable.

All expenses must be completed and submitted within thirty (30) days of travel.

Expenses submitted outside this timeframe may be rejected.

Expense reports are processed on non-payroll weeks, and Accounts Payable will

reimburse the expense within thirty (30) days of receiving the expense report.

Travel and expenses must include an original and itemized receipt for any expense over

Ten Dollars ($10.00) USD. Expenses over Ten Dollars ($10.00) without an itemized

receipt may be rejected.

When booking flights, employees are encouraged to book travel two (2) weeks in

advance, and to book the lowest possible airfare.

The guideline for meal reimbursement is Forty-Five Dollars ($45.00) per day. Alcohol is

excluded. On the first and the last day of travel, the employee can only be reimbursed

for 75% of the per diem rate. In other words, the traveler will be reimbursed no more than

Thirty-Three Dollars and Seventy-Five Cents ($33.75) on the first and last days of travel.

While entertaining employees and/or clients, if a Company employee is expected to pay,

the most senior individual in attendance should pay the bill. All names of attendees and

company names must be noted on the receipt.

The guideline for hotel reimbursement is up to One Hundred Twenty-Five Dollars

($125.00) USD per night. If the hotel charge is over One Hundred Twenty-Five dollars

($125.00) USD, the amount will need justification. Fax charges, copy charges, high

speed Internet connection, and telephone calls will be reimbursed only if business related;

charges for in-room movies, laundry service, fees for use of exercise clubs, or other non-

business related fees, will not be reimbursed.

Tipping should conform to general business custom, such as twenty percent (20%) for

meals, and Two Dollars ($2.00) per bag for baggage handling. Excessive amounts will

not be reimbursed.

Cabs and taxi fares to or from the airport are allowable. When available, airport shuttles

to hotels should be used.

Travel via the employee’s own personal vehicle will be reimbursed at the rate allowed by IRS guidelines.

When available, employees should rent economy, small, or medium sized cars. The

collision waiver insurance for rental cars will not be reimbursed. Always refill the gas

tank before returning the rental car.

Page 48: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

48 | P a g e

Religious Accommodation

The Company respects the religious beliefs and practices of all employees, and will make, upon

reasonable request, an accommodation for such observances when a reasonable accommodation

is available that does not create an undue hardship on the Company’s business.

CompanyProperty/Premises

The Company reserves the right to inspect and search you and your belongings, which have been

brought onto its property. The Company reserves the right to remove or recover, without notice,

any of its intellectual or other property, including all documents and devices in which it holds a

proprietary, copyright, trade secret, or confidential commercial interest. This includes any

Company property which has been provided to or for you, or was created or developed by you

during your employment, including the contents of electronic messaging systems, and voice mail

messages.

“Company property” means all property that is owned, leased, rented, or has been otherwise paid

for, or furnished by the Company. Examples include:

offices and office contents, such as desks, files (electronic and paper), art work, credenzas,

and other furniture;

computers, computer hardware and software, cellular telephones, the contents of electronic

storage and memory devices, and the devices themselves;

books, manuals, procedures, standards, guides, and other documents relating to the

Company, its clients and employees, or the manner in which it conducts its business; and

the spaces, places, and things used to transact or conduct business or business-related

activities, such as meetings or entertaining, or any other facilities, including halls, dining

rooms, planes, and training or educational venues.

All Company property must be returned to the Company within five (5) days of an employee’s

termination of employment.

Termination of Employment

The Company requests that if you decide to terminate your service with the Company for any

reason, you provide a written notice of at least two (2) weeks.

Employment by the Company can be terminated at the will of either the employee or the Company.

Any Company property issued to you must be returned at the time of your termination, resignation,

or whenever requested by your manager.

Page 49: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

49 | P a g e

Termination of Employment Continued…

It may be helpful to know the following:

the company pays up to one week (forty (40) hours) of accrued PDO time at separation

for voluntary separations;

any money owed to the Company at the time of termination will be deducted from

employee’s final check; and

full time employees participating in the group benefit plans may be eligible for the

continuation of their group insurance at their cost (COBRA coverage). More details on

COBRA can be found in Exhibit “B” in the back of this Handbook.

Page 50: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

50 | P a g e

Chapter 7

Exhibits

Page 51: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

51 | P a g e

Exhibit “A” - Harassment Awareness Policy

We are committed to creating a professional and productive work environment where you are

treated with respect and dignity. The Company prohibits conduct of any kind that disrupts or

interferes with another person’s work performance, and/or work environment, especially where

that conduct could constitute discrimination, or harassment. Harassment, and/or discrimination

against an individual or group on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation,

gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, citizenship, disability or handicap, genetic

information, veteran status, military service, or any other legally protected status, is prohibited at

the Company.

This policy applies to all persons involved in the operations of the Company, and prohibits

discrimination, and/or harassment by any employee of the Company. The Company’s policy also

prohibits discrimination and harassment by vendors or clients, and prohibits you from

discriminating against, and/or harassing vendors or clients. If discrimination, and/or harassment

occur on the job, whether on or off the premises, or by someone not employed by the Company,

the procedures in this policy should be followed.

Prohibited discrimination and/or harassment by you or others include(s) behavior such as:

verbal conduct such as epithets, derogatory comments, jokes, or slurs based on an

individual’s membership in a protected category;

visual conduct such as derogatory posters, photography, cartoons, screensavers, drawings,

or gestures based on an individual’s membership in a protected category;

sending E-mails that contain discriminatory, and/or harassing content based on a protected

category; and/or

retaliation for making discrimination, and/or harassment reports, or threatening to report

discrimination, and/or harassment.

The Company is likewise committed to providing a work environment free of sexual harassment,

and all forms or sexual harassment is prohibited. The Company’s Sexual Harassment Policy

applies to all persons involved in the operations of the Company, and prohibits sexual harassment

by any employee of the Company. The Company’s policy also prohibits sexual harassment by

vendors, or clients, and prohibits you from discriminating against, and/or harassing, vendors or

clients. If sexual harassment occurs on the job, whether on or off the premises, or by someone not

employed by the Company, the procedures in this policy should be followed.

Sexual harassment is defined as unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or visual,

verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

submission to such conduct is made a term or condition of employment;

Page 52: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

52 | P a g e

Harassment Awareness Policy Continued…

submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for employment decisions

affecting the individual; and/or

such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an employee’s

work performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working

environment.

The following is a partial list of prohibited behaviors:

unwelcome sexual advances or propositions;

offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors;

making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to a sexual advance;

visual conduct, such as leering, making sexual gestures, and/or displaying sexually

suggestive objects, pictures, cartoons, or posters;

verbal conduct such as making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, or sexually

explicit jokes;

comments about another employee’s body or dress;

verbal abuse of a sexual nature, use of sexually degrading words to describe an individual,

suggestive or obscene letters, notes, or invitations, or sexually offensive emails;

repeated requests for dates;

touching, such as rubbing or massaging an individual’s neck or shoulders, stroking

someone’s hair, or brushing against another’s body;

grabbing, groping, kissing, fondling, impeding, or blocking movements;

gesturing sexually;

graphic and/or offensive E-mails or voice-mail messages;

visiting sites that depict pornographic and/or materials of a sexual nature;

questions about one’s sex life or experiences;

retaliation for making sexual harassment reports, or threatening to report sexual

harassment; and/or

any other conduct or behavior of a sexual nature deemed inappropriate by the Company.

You are expected to act professionally at all times, and you must avoid conduct of any kind that

disrupts or interferes with another person’s work performance, and/or work environment. If you

have been discriminated against or harassed in violation of this policy, you should follow the

Complaint Procedure below for investigating and resolving such complaints.

Page 53: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

53 | P a g e

Harassment Awareness Policy Continued…

Steps to Report Harassment:

We are committed to investigating and resolving reports or complaints of workplace

discrimination, and/or harassment. You should immediately report any potential discrimination,

and/or or harassment, to your supervisor, the director of HR, or the VP of Operations. If your

harasser is your supervisor, you must report the harassment to the next level of management, and/or

the HR Department. If you are not comfortable reporting this conduct to management, you may

bypass this level and take your complaint to an executive of the Company.

Make Prompt Notification to:

1) Your manager;

2) VP of Operations; or

3) HR Director.

The Company does not require that you follow a specific chain of command when reporting

discriminatory acts. Thus, your only obligation is to report the misconduct as soon as possible in

the manner most comfortable for you.

If you believe you are subjected to discrimination and/or harassment, you should:

tell the discriminator/harasser to stop his/her unwanted behavior, if you feel comfortable

doing so; and

immediately report the alleged incident in the manner set forth above.

If you become aware of potentially discriminatory and/or harassing conduct engaged in or

experienced by another Company employee, you should immediately report that information to

your supervisor, a member of the HR Department, the COO, or the CEO.

The Company is committed to promptly and thoroughly investigate any reports or complaints of

discrimination or harassment, and will take appropriate remedial action to resolve the problem.

To help with the investigation, you should provide the Company with a detailed account of the

events which you believe constitutes the alleged discrimination or harassment. The Company will

maintain confidentiality to the extent practicable and appropriate under the circumstances.

Page 54: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

54 | P a g e

Harassment Awareness Policy Continued…

The Company strictly prohibits retaliation against any person by another employee, or by the

Company for using this complaint procedure, reporting alleged discrimination or harassment, or

for filing, testifying, assisting, or participating in any manner in any investigation, including an

investigation, proceeding, or hearing conducted by a governmental enforcement agency. If you

are found to have engaged in unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, you will be

subject to disciplinary action up to and including, termination of your employment. No special

treatment will be given based on employment level, position, or status of the alleged harasser. If

you engage in discrimination or harassment, you could also be held personally liable for monetary

damages.

The Company does not consider conduct in violation of this policy to be within the course and

scope of your employment or the direct consequence of the discharge of your duties. Accordingly,

to the extent permitted by law, the Company reserves the right not to provide a defense or pay

damages assessed against you for conduct in violation of this policy.

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome or resolution of a harassment investigation, you have the

right to question the decision. You should submit concerns in writing within two (2) weeks

following being informed of the outcome. Your comments should be sent to the CEO, or COO of

the Company.

Page 55: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

55 | P a g e

Exhibit “B” - Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)

In accordance with federal law, most employer's sponsored group medical plans are required to

offer employees and their families the opportunity for temporary extension of medical coverage.

This “continuation coverage” is offered at group rates in certain instances where coverage under

the plan would otherwise end. This notice is intended to inform you, in a summary fashion, of

your rights and obligations under the continuation coverage provisions of the law.

You and your family have the right to choose this continuation coverage if you lose your group

medical coverage because of a reduction in your hours of employment, or the termination of your

employment (for any reason other than gross misconduct on your part).

Under federal law, the employee or family member must inform the Company’s plan administrator

of a divorce, legal separation or loss of dependent status in writing within sixty (60) days after the

occurrence of the event. When the plan administrator is notified that one of these events has

happened, the plan administrator will notify the qualified individual of the right to choose

continuation coverage. The individual has sixty (60) days from the date coverage would be lost

because of the events described above, to inform the plan administrator that continuation coverage

is desired.

If continuation coverage is not chosen, your group medical insurance coverage will end, and you

will not be allowed to participate in or re-enroll for any of the Company’s insurance programs. If

continuation coverage is chosen, the Company is required to give coverage which is identical to

the coverage provided under the group plan. The Company is required by federal law to provide

you the opportunity to maintain continuation coverage for thirty-six (36) months, unless group

medical coverage is lost because of the termination of your employment or a reduction in your

hours. In that case, the required continuation coverage period is eighteen (18) months. (The

eighteen (18) month continuation coverage period will be extended to twenty-nine (29) months if

you are determined by social security to be disabled at the time of your termination of employment,

or reduction in hours). However, federal law also provides that continuation coverage may be cut

short for other reasons. Please see the HR Department for details.

Under federal law, you have to pay all of your premiums for your continuation coverage under

COBRA. At the end of the eighteen (18) month or thirty-six (36) month continuation coverage

period, you can enroll in an individual conversion medical plan, if one is provided under the

Company medical insurance plan. A full statement of your rights to COBRA continuation

coverage is included with the materials describing your group medical insurance.

Page 56: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

56 | P a g e

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) Continued…

It is your responsibility to maintain all of your insurance plans, and to timely report any changes

or errors to the Company.

Remember: Failure to report changes to your personnel file may result in termination of coverage.

It is your responsibility to maintain the accuracy of the information in your personnel file and

payroll record. Pursuant to federal law, the Company is only required to send information on

continuation of coverage and benefits to your last known address. Accordingly, if you move and

fail to notify the HR Department, you could fail to receive important information, and your

right to continuation of medical coverage (and/or coverage for your dependents) could be

lost.

Page 57: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

57 | P a g e

Exhibit “C” - Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

An eligible employee has to be employed twelve (12) months and have worked one thousand two

hundred fifty (1250) hours in the preceding year to qualify for leave under FMLA. FMLA provides

up to twelve (12) weeks off for a variety of covered reasons including:

Birth of a child and to care for a newborn child, providing the leave is completed within

twelve (12) months of birth;

Placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care, providing the leave is

completed within twelve (12) months of placement;

To care for a spouse, child, or parent (family member) with a serious health condition as

supported by medical certification;

For the employee’s own serious health condition that makes the employee unable to

perform the functions of the employee’s job as supported by medical certification;

Qualifying Exigency Leave, where the employee’s spouse, parent, or son/daughter (of

any age) is called to active duty in support of a contingency operation; applies to

National Guard and Reserves, and to members of the regular armed forces who are called

to service in a foreign country;

Military Caregiver Leave, to care for current member of armed forces who has a serious

injury or illness incurred in the line of duty (this provision provides up to twenty-six (26)

weeks of leave);

If the leave is planned in advance you must provide the Company at least thirty (30)

days’ notice prior to the anticipated leave date;

If leave is unexpected, you should notify your supervisor and HR as far in advance of the

anticipated leave as practicable;

Continuation of group insurance benefits during leave: During qualified FMLA leave, the

Company will continue to maintain your group insurance (medical, dental, life and

disability coverage) that you were already participating in at the time of leave.

However, you must agree to repay the “employee’s portion” of these deductions, as well

as any other voluntary deductions upon your return to work or via check if you elect not

to return to work. A payment plan can be worked out to take the deductions back over a

several month period or you can pay monthly during your leave; and

Time out on FMLA runs concurrently with other leave policies (short term disability,

PDO etc…) and is generally unpaid unless you substitute paid leave for time away.

An employee who returns to work within the eligible FMLA period will generally be entitled to

reinstatement into a comparable position with all terms equivalent to the position held prior to

FMLA. An employee who does not return prior to the end of the eligible FMLA period will not

have job protection beyond that period. The Company reserves the right to require medical

documentation that an employee has been released back to work and/or is fit for duty before the

employee may return to work. For further information regarding your specific coverage for

FMLA, contact HR.

Page 58: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

58 | P a g e

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Continued…

Under the FMLA, the terms son and daughter include biological, adopted or foster children, a

stepchild, legal ward, or child of a person standing in loco parentis. A child must either be under

eighteen (18) years of age, or eighteen (18) years of age or older and incapable of self-care because

of a mental or physical disability.

The term “parent” is defined as the biological parent of an employee or an individual who stands

or stood in loco parentis to an employee when the employee was under eighteen (18) or incapable

of self-care. The definition does not include parents-in-law.

The FMLA defines serious health condition as an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental

condition that involves:

inpatient care (i.e., an overnight stay) in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care

facility, including any period of incapacity; or

continuing treatment by a health care provider.

A serious health condition involving continuing treatment by a health care provider included:

a period of incapacity of more than three (3) consecutive calendar days and any subsequent

treatment or period of incapacity relating to the same condition that also involves:

- treatment two (2) or more times by a health care provider; or -

treatment by a health care provider on at least one (1) occasion;

or - which results in a regimen of continuing treatment.

a period of incapacity due to pregnancy or for prenatal care;

a period of incapacity or treatment for a “chronic” serious health condition that requires

periodic visits for treatment by a health care provider, continues over an extended period,

and may cause episodic rather than a continuing period of incapacity (e.g., asthma,

diabetes, epilepsy);

a period of incapacity that is permanent or long term due to a condition for which treatment

may not be effective. The employee or family member need not be receiving active

treatment by a health care provider (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, severe stroke, terminal

cancer); and

a period of absence to receive multiple treatments for an injury or condition which would

result in incapacity of more than three (3) days if not treated (e.g., chemotherapy or

radiation for cancer, physical therapy for severe arthritis, or dialysis for kidney disease).

Page 59: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

59 | P a g e

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Continued…

The term “health care provider” is defined as:

a doctor of medicine or osteopathy authorized to practice medicine or surgery by the state

in which the doctor practices;

a podiatrist, dentist, clinical psychologist, optometrist or chiropractor (limited to manual

manipulation of the spine to correct a sublimation as demonstrated by X-ray to exist)

authorized to practice and performing within the scope of their practice, under state law;

a nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife or clinical social worker authorized to practice, and

performing within the scope of their practice, as defined under state law;

a Christian Science practitioner listed with the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston,

Massachusetts; or

a health care provider recognized by the employer or the employer’s group health plan

benefits supervisor.

Page 60: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

60 | P a g e

Exhibit “D” – Break Time for Nursing Mothers Policy

The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which became effective March 23, 2010

amended the Fair Labor Standards Act to require employers to provide a nursing mother

reasonable break time to express breast milk after the birth of her child. The law is enforced by

the United States Department of Labor (DOL).

In keeping with the Fair Labor Standards Act, all female faculty who breastfeed their child

(collectively referred to herein as “nursing mothers”) will be provided reasonable break times to

express milk throughout the day, each time they need to express milk, for as long as the employee

has a need to express milk. The Company will also provide appropriate private areas, other than

bathrooms, for this purpose. The area provided, if not dedicated to the nursing mother’s use, will

be made available when needed by the employee. The area provided will be shielded from view,

and free from any intrusion from co-workers and the public.

Nursing mothers, who need to express milk during the working day, should contact their

supervisor, and/or Human Resources. Working with the nursing mother, the supervisor or

departmental administrator will provide reasonable break times and identify an appropriate

location. If possible, break times may be taken during regularly scheduled meal and rest breaks.

The Company is not required to compensate nursing mothers for breaks taken for the purpose of

expressing milk. Where the Company already provides compensated breaks, an employee who

uses that break time to express milk must be compensated in the same way that other employees

are compensated for break time. In addition, the FLSA general requirement that the employee

must be completely relieved from duty or else the time must be compensated as work time applies.

If the nursing mother is a non-exempt (hourly) employee and her breaks exceeds twenty (20)

minutes, her supervisor should make a good faith effort to permit the nursing mother to make up

time. Nursing mothers who are exempt under the FLSA will not have pay docked for taking a

break to express milk.

Page 61: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

61 | P a g e

Exhibit “E” - Military Leave

The Federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (“USERRA”)

provides job protection and rights of reinstatement to employees who participate in the National

Guard and Reserve. A military leave of absence will be granted to full-time regular and part-time

regular employees who qualify under USERRA to attend scheduled drills and training or if called

to active duty with the United States armed services.

Eligibility

If you have to be absent from your employment because of service in the “Uniformed Services”

you are entitled to certain protections under USERRA.

“Uniformed Services” consists of:

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard;

Army Reserve, Naval Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard

Reserve;

Army National Guard;

Air National Guard;

Commission Corps of the Public Health Service; or

any other category of persons designated by the President in time of war or national

emergency.

If you serve in one of the qualifying uniformed services, you will be ineligible for USERRA’s

protections if you were:

separated from service with a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge;

separated from service under other than honorable conditions, defined by the regulations

of the pertinent military branch;

a commissioned officer and were dismissed in a situation involving a court martial or by

order of the President in wartime; or

dropped from the rolls when you were absent without authority for more than three (3)

months or you were imprisoned by a civilian court.

Covered Service

“Service” is the performance of duty on a voluntary or involuntary basis in a Uniformed Serviced

including:

active duty;

active duty for training;

Page 62: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

62 | P a g e

Military Leave Continued…

initial active duty for training;

inactive duty training;

full-time National Guard duty;

absence from work for a fitness-for-duty examination; or

funeral honors duty performed by members of the reserve or National Guard.

Re-employment Rights

USERRA allows a five (5) year cumulative length of absence for military service with a single

employer. However, the following types of service are not counted towards this five (5) year

period:

service beyond five (5) years that is required to complete an initial period of obligated

service;

service from which you, through no fault of your own, are unable to obtain a release within

the five (5) year period;

required training for National Guard members and reservists, and additional training

certified by the Secretary of Defense as necessary for professional development;

service under an order to report for or stay on active duty during a domestic emergency or

situations related to national security;

service under an order to report for or stay on active duty (other than training) because of

a war or national emergency declared by Congress or the President;

service under an order to active duty (other than training) by volunteers supporting

operational missions for which selected reservists have been ordered to involuntary active

duty;

service under an order to active duty by volunteers supporting a critical mission or

requirement of the armed services; or

federal service as a member of the National Guard called into action by the President to

suppress an insurrection, repel an invasion or carry out the laws of the United States.

Under USERRA, the Company is not required to reemploy a reservist who is otherwise

qualified for reemployment when:

the Company’s circumstances have changed so as to make your reemployment impossible

or unreasonable;

Page 63: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

63 | P a g e

Military Leave Continued…

your service-related disabilities are such that qualifying or accommodating you would

impose an undue hardship on the Company; or

your pre-service employment was in a brief or non-recurrent position and you had no

reasonable expectation that the employment would continue for a significant or indefinite

period.

If you are absent because of military service, you are to be treated as if you are on a leave of

absence. As such, you are entitled to the same rights and benefits as other employees with similar

tenure, status and pay who take a leave of absence. If you are re-employed, you will only receive

the rights and benefits that you would have been eligible for had you not taken time for military

service.

Pay While on Leave

USERRA does not require that a reservist employee be paid while on eligible leave. However, if

you are eligible, the Company will pay the difference between your base salary and the pay you

receive from the relevant uniformed service for annual two (2) week training periods. In addition,

in case of active duty, the Company will pay the difference between your salary and the pay you

receive from the relevant uniformed service for your entire period of active duty.

Benefits While on Leave

You will continue to receive certain Company benefits while you are on active duty, subject to

your applicable contributions at the same contribution level as those who are not on military leave.

Discrimination and Retaliation

If you are a member of, apply to be, perform, or you have performed or applied to perform service

in a uniformed service, you cannot be denied initial employment, reemployment, retention,

promotion or other benefits of employment on the basis of membership or performance.

Discrimination is prohibited against you because you have acted to enforce a provision of

USERRA; testified or made a statement in connection with USERRA; assisted or participated in

an investigation under USERRA; or exercised a right guaranteed by USERRA. This prohibition

applies to all employees, whether or not they have served in the uniformed services.

If you believe you have been subjected to unlawful discrimination or retaliation, you must

immediately notify your supervisor, a member of the HR Department, or the Company President.

You must comply with the following requirements while you are on military leave:

Page 64: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

64 | P a g e

Military Leave Continued…

Notice

To be eligible for USERRA protection, if you are a reservist, you must provide advance written or

oral notice of military service to the Company. The actual notice may be given by you or by an

appropriate officer of your branch of service. However, notice is not required if “military

necessity” precludes it or if provision of notice is impossible or unreasonable.

Returning to Work

The time limits for reporting back to work at the end of active duty depend upon the duration of

your military service:

Service for less than thirty-one (31) days: You must report to work no later than the

beginning of the first full regularly scheduled work day on the first full calendar day after

you complete military service. However, a period of eight (8) hours must have passed

between your return home and the time you must report to work.

Service of thirty-one (31) to one hundred eighty (180) days: You must submit an

application for reemployment no later than fourteen (14) days after you are released from

service.

Service of one hundred eighty-one (181) or more days: You must submit an

application for reemployment no later than ninety (90) days after the completion of

military service.

Hospitalized Colleagues: If you are reservist and you are hospitalized or convalescing

from an illness or injury incurred in or aggravated by your military service, you have up

to two (2) years to report to the Company or submit an application for reemployment.

The two (2) year period is extended by the minimum time required to accommodate

circumstances beyond your control that make reporting within two (2) years impossible.

Missed Deadlines: If you miss your deadline for reporting or applying you do not

automatically lose your reemployment rights, but you may be disciplined for an

unexcused absence.

If you have been absent for more than thirty-one (31) days, the Company has the right to

request documentation to prove that your application is timely, that you have not exceeded the

five (5) year service limitation and that you did not leave the service for a disqualifying reason.

Page 65: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

65 | P a g e

Exhibit “F” - Drug-Free Workplace Policy

Announced: October 20, 2011 / Effective: November 1, 2011 / Revised: January 23, 2012

Purpose and Goal

Extremity Healthcare Inc. (“Extremity” or the “Company”) and its subsidiaries and managed

entities are committed to protecting the safety, health and well-being of all employees and other

individuals in our workplace. That commitment is jeopardized when any employee illegally uses

drugs on or off the job, comes to work under their influence, possesses, distributes or sells drugs

in the workplace, or abuses alcohol on the job. Alcohol abuse and drug use pose a significant

threat to our goals. Therefore, we have established a drug-free workplace program that balances

our respect for individuals with the need to maintain an alcohol and drug-free environment.

This policy recognizes that employee involvement with alcohol and other drugs can be

very disruptive, adversely affect the quality of work and performance of employees, pose

serious health risks to users and others, and have a negative impact on productivity and

morale.

The Company has no intention of interfering with the private lives of its employees

unless involvement with alcohol and other drugs off the job affects job performance or

public safety.

As a condition of employment, this Company requires that employees adhere to a strict

policy regarding the use and possession of drugs and alcohol.

The Company encourages employees to voluntarily seek help with drug and alcohol

problems.

The Company provides supervisors and employees with training on this Drug-Free

Workforce Policy and on the effects of drug and alcohol abuse.

This policy is intended to further the purpose and goal of Georgia’s Drug-Free Workplace

Programs (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-410, et seq.), which is “to promote drug-free workplaces in order that

employers in this state be afforded the opportunity to maximize their levels of productivity,

enhance their competitive positions in the marketplace, and reach their desired levels of success

without experiencing the costs, delays, and tragedies associated with work related accidents

resulting from substance abuse by employees.”

The following behaviors are prohibited by the Company:

use of illegal drugs;

abuse of legal drugs and alcohol;

sale, purchase, transfer or possession of illegal or “look-a-like” drugs or alcohol;

sale or transfer of prescription drugs;

Page 66: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

66 | P a g e

Drug-Free Workplace Policy Continued…

reporting for work under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol; and

obtaining unauthorized prescriptions through the Company.

Covered Workers

Any individual who conducts business for the Company, is applying for a position, or is conducting

business on the Company’s property is covered by our drug-free workplace policy. Our policy

includes, but is not limited to physicians, associate physicians, executive management, managers,

supervisors, full-time employees, part-time employees, contractors and interns.

For the purposes of this policy, the use of the term “employee” herein shall include the Company’s

physicians, associate physicians, executive management, managers, supervisors, full-time

employees, part-time employees, contractors, independent contractors, temporaries provided by

agencies, and interns.

Prohibited Behavior Illegal Drugs

No employee may use, possess, sell, trade, offer for sale, and/or offer to buy illegal drugs

or intoxicants or otherwise engage in the illegal use of drugs or intoxicants on or off the

job.

No employee may report to work under the influence of or while possessing in his or her

body, blood, or urine illegal drugs in any detectable amount.

No employee may use prescription drugs illegally, i.e., to use prescription drugs that have

not been legally obtained or in a manner or for a purpose other than as prescribed.

For the purposes of this policy, illegal drugs include controlled substances not obtained legally

Amphetamines, Cannabinoids (THC), Cocaine, Opiates, Phencyclidine (PCP), Barbiturates,

Benzodiazepines, Methaqualone, Methadone and Propoxyphene), prescription controlled

substances which have not been specifically prescribed by a health care provider for specific

treatment purposes for the employee, and “look-a-like” preparations which are believed to be

illegal drugs.

Legal Drugs

Prescription and over-the-counter drugs are not prohibited when taken in standard dosage

and/or according to a physician’s prescription. Any employee taking prescribed or over

the-counter medications will be responsible for consulting the prescribing physician

and/or pharmacist to ascertain whether the medication may interfere with safe

performance of his/ her job.

Page 67: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

67 | P a g e

Drug-Free Workplace Policy Continued…

If the use of a medication could compromise the safety of the employee, fellow

employees, or our customers, it is the employee’s responsibility to use appropriate

personnel procedures (e.g., Notify supervisor, use leave, or request change of duty) to

avoid unsafe workplace practices.

The illegal or unauthorized use of prescription drugs is prohibited.

No employee may intentionally misuse and/or abuse prescription medications.

Alcohol

No employee may report to work under the influence of or impaired by alcohol.

Alcohol may not be consumed in any Company facility.

No employee may intentionally misuse and/or abuse alcohol.

Employees should exercise moderation if they consume alcoholic beverages while

traveling or conducting Company business so that their actions do not represent a liability

to themselves, to other employees, or to the Company’s reputation.

Vehicles rented for Company business, or personal or other vehicles used in the conduct

of Company business, shall not be operated by an employee whose ability to drive may

be impaired by alcohol.

Consumption or possession of open containers of alcoholic beverages in vehicles rented

or owned by the Company or in personal or other vehicles used in the conduct of

Company business is prohibited.

Notification of Convictions

Any employee who is convicted of a criminal drug violation in the workplace must notify the

Company in writing within five calendar days of the conviction. The Company will take

appropriate action within thirty (30) days of notification.

Searches

Entering the Company’s property constitutes consent to searches and inspections. If an employee

is suspected of violating the drug-free workplace policy, he or she may be asked to submit to a

search or inspection at any time. Searches can be conducted of personal effects, desks, work

stations, vehicles and equipment.

Drug Testing General guidelines for drug testing under this policy

The substances that will be tested for are: Amphetamines, Cannabinoids (THC), Cocaine,

Opiates, Phencyclidine (PCP), Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines, Methaqualone, Methadone

and Propoxyphene.

Testing for the presence of the metabolites of drugs will be conducted by the analysis of

urine.

Testing for the presence of alcohol will be conducted by analysis of blood.

Page 68: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

68 | P a g e

Drug-Free Workplace Policy Continued…

An employee will be subject to the same consequences of a positive test if he/she refuses

the drug screening or test, adulterates or dilutes the specimen, substitutes the specimen

with that from another from another person or sends an imposter, will not sign required

forms, or refuses to cooperate in the testing process in such a way that prevents completion

of the test.

To ensure the accuracy and fairness of our testing program, all drug testing will be conducted

according to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) guidelines

where applicable and will include a screening test; a confirmation test; the opportunity for a split

sample; review by a Medical Review Officer, including the opportunity for employees who test

positive to provide a legitimate medical explanation, such as a physician’s prescription, for the

positive result; and a documented chain of custody.

Pre-Employment Drug Testing

All job applicants at this Company who have received a conditional offer of employment or who

have been offered a contract opportunity to perform work at the Company shall undergo testing

for the presence of illegal drugs as a condition of employment.

Applicants shall complete the “Pre-Employment Drug Testing Consent and Release Form”

(“Consent Agreement”) included in this Policy prior to testing.

Applicants will be required to submit voluntarily to a urinalysis test at a laboratory chosen by this

Company, and by signing the Consent Agreement will release this Company from liability.

Testing must be completed successfully prior to beginning the first day of employment or contract

start.

Any applicant with a confirmed positive test will be denied employment.

If the physician, official, or lab personnel has reasonable suspicion to believe that the job

applicant has tampered with the specimen, the applicant will not be considered for

employment.

This Company will not discriminate against applicants for employment because of a past

history of drug abuse.

It is the current abuse of drugs, preventing employees from performing their job

properly, that this Company will not tolerate.

Employee Drug Testing

This Company has adopted testing practices to identify employees who use illegal drugs on or off

the job or who abuse alcohol on the job. It shall be a condition of employment for all employees

to submit to substance abuse testing under the following circumstances:

Page 69: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

69 | P a g e

Drug-Free Workplace Policy Continued…

1. Reasonable Suspicion Testing

Applicability

Whenever reasonable suspicion exists to believe an employee is using or has used drugs or

alcohol.

Definition and Guidelines

“Reasonable suspicion” is based on a belief that an employee is using or has used drugs or

alcohol in violation of this policy, drawn from specific objective and articulable facts and

reasonable inferences made from those facts in light of experience. Among other things,

such facts and inferences may be based upon, but not limited to, the following:

observable phenomena while at work, such as direct observation of substance abuse

or of the physical symptoms or manifestations of being impaired due to substance

abuse;

abnormal conduct or erratic behavior while at work or a significant deterioration in

work performance;

incoherent mental state;

a report of substance abuse provided by a reliable and credible source;

a report of alcohol use provided by a reliable and credible source;

evidence that an individual has tampered with any substance abuse test during his or

her employment;

information that an employee has caused or contributed to an accident while at work;

or

evidence that an employee has used, possessed, sold, solicited, or transferred drugs

while working or while on the employer’s premises or while operating the employer’s

vehicle, machinery, or equipment.

Procedures to follow when Reasonable Suspicion identified

Any employee or supervisor having reasonable suspicions about a co-worker should report

the concerns to a Human Resource representative or senior-level manager immediately.

Employees and/or co-workers should not confront an individual they believe is under the

influence of drugs or alcohol. If possible, the employee’s supervisor will first seek another

supervisor’s opinion to confirm the employee’s status. If, in the opinion of the supervisor,

the employee is considered impaired, the employee will be sent home or to a medical

facility by taxi or other safe transportation alternative – depending on the determination of

the observed impairment – and accompanied by the supervisor or another employee if

necessary. An impaired employee will not be allowed to drive. Additional appropriate

Page 70: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

70 | P a g e

Drug-Free Workplace Policy Continued…

steps may be taken, including seeking help through the Employee Assistance Program

(EAP) or other resource and making arrangements for drug and/or alcohol testing.

2. Post-Accident Testing

Applicability

When an employee has caused or contributed to an on-the-job injury that resulted in a

loss of work time, which means any period of time during which an employee stops

performing the normal duties of employment and leaves the place of employment to

seek care from a licensed medical provider.

When an employee is involved in an on-the-job accident where personal injury or

damage to company property occurs.

Post-accident testing will include testing for the presence of alcohol, in addition to testing for

the substances listed above in the “General guidelines for drug testing under this policy”

section above.

3. Post-Rehabilitation/Return-to-Duty testing

Applicability

As part of a follow-up program to treatment for drug abuse when an employee has

involuntarily entered a rehabilitation program because of a positive confirmed test

result.

The frequency of such testing shall be a minimum of at least once a year for a two year

period after completion of the rehabilitation program. Advance notice of testing shall not

be given to the employee.

4. Periodic/Routine Fitness-for-Duty testing

Applicability

When a substance abuse test is conducted as part of a routinely scheduled employee

fitness-for-duty medical examination that is part of the employer’s established policy

or that is scheduled routinely for all members of an employment classification or

group.

Opportunity to Contest or Explain Test Results

Employees and job applicants who have a positive confirmed test result may explain or

contest the result to the Company within five (5) working days after the Company contacts

Page 71: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

71 | P a g e

Drug-Free Workplace Policy Continued…

the employee or job applicant and shows him/her the positive test result as it was received

from the laboratory in writing.

Consequences of a Positive Drug or Alcohol Test

One of the goals of our drug-free workplace program is to encourage employees to

voluntarily seek help with alcohol and/or drug problems. If, however, an individual violates

the policy, the consequences are serious.

Job Applicants

If a job applicant at this Company who has received a conditional offer of employment

or who has been offered a contract opportunity to perform work at the Company

violates the drug-free workplace policy, the offer of employment can be withdrawn.

The job applicant may reapply after one year and must present himself or herself drug-

free as demonstrated by urinalysis or other test selected by this Company.

Employees

If an employee violates the drug-free workplace policy, he or she will be subjected to

disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

Employees who have failed a drug test or who have a detectable level of alcohol or a

detectable level of illegal drugs in their system will not be permitted to work.

Employee’s suspended pending investigation of an incident related to this policy will

be placed on un-paid leave.

A job applicant or employee will be subject to the same consequences of a positive test if he/she

refuses the screening or the test, adulterates or dilutes the specimen, substitutes the specimen with

that from another person or sends an imposter, will not sign the required forms, or refuses to

cooperate in the testing process in such a way that prevents completion of the test.

Assistance

The Company recognizes that alcohol and drug abuse and addiction are treatable illnesses. We

also realize that early intervention and support improve the success of rehabilitation. To support

our employees, our Drug-Free Workplace Policy:

encourages employees to utilize the services of qualified professionals in the

community to assess the seriousness of suspected drug or alcohol problems and identify

appropriate sources of help;

allows the use of accrued paid leave while seeking treatment for alcohol and other

drug problems; and

offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefit for employees and their

dependents.

Page 72: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

72 | P a g e

Drug-Free Workplace Policy Continued…

The EAP provides confidential assessment, referral, and short-term counseling for

employees who need or request it.

If an EAP referral to a treatment provider outside the EAP is necessary, costs may be

covered by the employee’s medical insurance, but the cost of such outside services is

ultimately the employee’s responsibility.

Confidentiality is assured. NO information regarding the nature of the personal

problem will be made available to the supervisors nor will it be included in the

permanent personnel file.

Participation in the EAP will not affect an employee’s career advancement or

employment, nor will it protect an employee from disciplinary action if substandard

job performance continues.

The EAP is a process used in conjunction with discipline; it is not a substitute for

discipline.

The EAP can be accessed by an employee through self-referral or through referral by

a supervisor.

Confidentiality

All information received by the Company through the drug-free workplace program is

confidential.

the confidentiality of any information received by the employer through a substance

abuse testing program shall be maintained, except as otherwise provided by law;

access to this information is limited to those who have a legitimate need to know in

compliance with relevant laws and management policies;

all drug-testing information will be maintained in separate confidential records apart

from an employee’s permanent personnel file; and

employee information learned of or obtained through an employee’s participation in

the EAP is confidential; NO information regarding the nature of the personal problem

will be made available to the supervisors nor will it be included in the permanent

personnel file.

Page 73: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

73 | P a g e

Drug-Free Workplace Policy Continued…

Shared Responsibility

A safe and productive drug-free workplace is achieved through cooperation and shared

responsibility. Both employees and management have important roles to play. All employees are

required to not report to work or be subject to duty while their ability to perform job duties is

impaired due to on- or off-duty use of alcohol or other drugs.

In addition, employees are encouraged to:

be concerned about working in a safe environment;

support fellow workers in seeking help;

use the Employee Assistance Program; and report dangerous behavior to their supervisor.

It is the supervisor’s responsibility to:

inform employees of the Drug-Free Workplace Policy;

observe employee performance;

investigate reports of dangerous practices;

document negative changes and problems in performance;

counsel employees as to expected performance improvement;

refer employees to the Employee Assistance Program; and

clearly state consequences of policy violations.

Training and Communication

Communicating our drug-free workplace policy to both supervisors and employees is critical to

our success. To ensure all employees are aware of their role in supporting our drug-free workplace

program:

all employees will receive a written copy of the policy;

the policy will be reviewed in orientation sessions with new employees;

employee education on this policy, the dangers of alcohol and drug use, and the

availability of help will be provided to all employees on a yearly basis; and

very supervisor will receive annual training on this policy and on the effects of drugs and

alcohol to help him/her recognize and manage employees with alcohol and other drug

problems.

Page 74: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

74 | P a g e

Exhibit “G” – Social Media Policy

The Company recognizes that online collaboration platforms are fundamentally changing the way

individuals and organizations communicate, and this policy is designed to offer practical guidance

for responsible, constructive communications via social media channels for employees of the

Company. Social Media is defined as: works of user-created video, audio, text or multimedia that

are published and shared in an electronic environment, such as a blog, wiki, instant messaging,

email, Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, Twitter, YouTube or others.

Objective

To establish practical, reasonable and enforceable guidelines by which our employees can conduct

responsible and constructive social media engagement in both official and unofficial forums.

Employees may use Social Media for personal use only during non-working time and in strict

compliance with all other terms of this and other Company policies.

Guidelines

The following are guidelines for Company employees who participate in social media. These

guidelines apply whether employees are posting to their own sites or commenting on other sites.

Follow all applicable Company policies already in place in regards to PHI, HIPAA and

IT. For example, you must follow the Company Confidentiality Agreement, IT Policy

and HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules.

Ensure that your social media activity does not interfere with your work commitments.

Patient privacy is of utmost concern. Do not share anything that can identify a patient or

otherwise constitutes disclosure of Personal Health Information of any of our patients.

Alert management if you see information posted by others, including patients themselves,

that is confidential.

Speak or comment in the first person if your connection to the Company is apparent.

Make it known that you are speaking on your own behalf and not on behalf of the

Company. A disclaimer should also be considered: “The views expressed in this [page,

site, etc.] are my own and do not reflect the views of my Company.”

Employees may not post any material that can be construed as confidential, disparaging,

controversial and not professionally appropriate where it references the Company or

competitor either directly or indirectly.

Be professional and use good judgment in your communications; errors, omissions or

unprofessional language or behavior reflecting poorly on you and the Company. Be

respectful and professional to fellow employees, business partners, competitors and

patients.

The Company discourages staff in management/supervisory roles from initiating “friend”

requests with employees whom they manage. Managers/supervisors may accept friend

Page 75: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

75 | P a g e

Social Media Policy Continued…

requests if initiated by the employee, as long as the manager/supervisor does not believe it

will negatively impact the work relationship.

The Company strongly discourages “friending” of patients on social media websites.

Staff in patient care roles generally should not initiate or accept friend requests except in

unusual circumstances such as where an in-person friendship pre-dates the treatment

relationship.

You must use a personal e-mail account that is not affiliated with the Company as your

means of contact when using Social Media. Use of personal e-mail accounts serves to

prevent confusion and to eliminate any misperception that you are speaking on behalf of

the Company.

Employees shall not, at any time, violate the Company's policies against harassment and

discrimination or make false and malicious statements about Extremity Healthcare, Inc.,

its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, attorneys, employees, successors and assigns,

and any and all related corporate entities, either orally, in writing or in any other form of

communication.

Employees must respect all copyright and other intellectual property laws. For the

Company's protection as well as your own, it is critical that you show proper respect for

the laws governing copyright, fair use of copyrighted material owned by others,

trademarks and other intellectual property, including the Company's own copyrights,

trademarks and brands.

Page 76: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

76 | P a g e

Exhibit “H” – Conflict of Interest

The purpose of the Conflict of Interest policy is to protect the Company’s interests when it is

contemplating entering into a transaction or arrangement that might: (1) benefit the private interest

of an employee, or authorized representative of the Company; (2) result in a possible excess benefit

transaction or decision; and/or (3) result in a biased decision that is not in the overall best interest

of the Company. While this policy applies to all Company matters, common areas where conflicts

of interest arise are, with vendor selection, marketing and charity initiatives, and hiring decisions.

AUTHORIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITY

Duty to Disclose in Advance

In connection with any actual or possible conflict of interest, an interested person must disclose

the existence of the potential conflict, and be given the opportunity to disclose all material facts to

the Chief Legal Officer (CLO), considering proposed transactions or arrangements. If the CLO is

not available, the Director of Human Resources (DHR) can assist. Disclosure of a potential conflict

of interest must be done in advance of making any commitments on behalf of the Company.

Determining Whether a Conflict of Interest Exists

After disclosure of the potential conflict of interest and all material facts, the CLO or DHR will

consult with necessary individuals to reach a decision.

Procedures for Addressing the Conflict of Interest

a. An interested person may make a presentation to the CLO or DHR.

b. The CLO or DHR, if appropriate, will appoint a disinterested person or committee to

investigate alternatives to the proposed transaction, or arrangement.

c. After exercising due diligence, the CLO or DHR shall determine whether the Company

can obtain with reasonable efforts a more advantageous transaction or arrangement from a

person or entity, that would not give rise to a conflict of interest.

d. If a more advantageous transaction or arrangement is not reasonably possible under

circumstances not producing a conflict of interest, the CLO or DHR shall determine

whether the transaction or arrangement is in the Company’s best interest, for its own

benefit, and whether it is fair and reasonable. In conformity with the above determination,

the CLO or DHR shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction or

arrangement.

Violations of the Conflict of Interest Policy

a. If the CLO or DHR has reasonable cause to believe an employee or authorized representative

has failed to disclose actual or possible conflicts of interest, the CLO or DHR shall inform

Page 77: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

77 | P a g e

Conflict of Interest Continued…

the person(s) of the basis for such belief, and afford that person(s) an opportunity to explain

the alleged failure to disclose.

b. If the CLO or DHR determines the person(s) has failed to disclose an actual or possible

conflict of interest after an investigation of the matter, the Company shall take appropriate

disciplinary and corrective action, which may include, but is not limited to, termination.

Examples of a Conflict of Interest

a. An employee recommends entering into a contract with an entity in which they own a five

percent (5%) or more interest.

b. An employee would receive compensation or a kickback, for recommending a vendor.

c. A manager wishes to employ a relative, who would be a direct report to that manager.

d. An employee asks the Company to make a One Thousand Dollar ($1,000.00) donation to

charity, but does not disclose that he or she (or a relative) serves on the board for the

charity.

These are just a few examples, but is in no way all inclusive of all potential scenarios.

For the avoidance of doubt, all officers and the Board of Directors are required to abide by this

same policy as well.

Page 78: Employee Handbook - Village Podiatry Centers...Village Podiatry Centers Advanced Vascular Resources of Atlanta, LLC ... This Handbook is intended to be used as a guide and is for informational

78 | P a g e

Receipt of Employee Handbook

I have been provided access to this Handbook and understand I am responsible for reading and

understanding its contents and Exhibits. I understand that this version of the “employee handbook”

supersedes any earlier versions.

I understand that this Handbook is presented for information purposes only and can be changed at

any time by the Company with or without notice. I also understand that this Handbook is a not a

contract, express or implied, between myself and the Company, nor shall it be construed to create

such a contract. I understand that I am an employee-at-will, and either the Company or I can

terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, and with or without

notice. I understand that despite any other changes which may be made to the Handbook, only the

Chief Executive Officer has the authority to change the at-will nature of my employment and to

do so, it must be in writing and signed by him. I am also responsible to check for updates regarding

this Employee Handbook through Human Resources, or on the website portal.

If I have questions, I will see the Human Resource Director.

Signature:

Name: (Please Print)

Date: